


This Empty Northern Hemisphere

by Geonn



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Berlin Wall, Drama, F/F, F/M, Historical, Hostage Situation, Psychological Torture, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-01
Updated: 2011-09-30
Packaged: 2017-10-24 05:11:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/259370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geonn/pseuds/Geonn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1980. Helen Magnus and James Watson must breach the Berlin Wall to save a trio of Abnormal sisters. Once in East Berlin, however, Helen discovers that the true test will be escaping. Meanwhile, on the outside, James finds himself held prisoner by an enemy from their past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Helen rode the train into East Berlin alone.

She dressed the part, choosing a formless brown sweater buttoned to the throat and a long floral-print dress that draped her utilitarian brown shoes. Her braided dark hair was covered by a kerchief, and she kept her head down whenever anyone happened to glance her way. She hugged the cloth grocery bag on her lap as if it contained her most prize possessions. As far as her few fellow passengers were concerned, she was simply another weary hausfrau on her way home from shopping.

When the train rounded a curve and began to slow, Helen rose and moved to the back of the car. She juggled her bag as she opened the door and moved to the final car on the train. There was a window in the door of the car, but Helen blocked it with a can of spray paint she removed from her bag. She worked quickly, though no one in the car she left seemed to notice her absence. The final step was locking the door so she didn't have any unexpected visitors dropping in while she was preparing.

From the bag, she withdrew a stump-shaped gun whose only aesthetics were the grips shaped like fingers on the handle. She hooked it on her belt and zipped the bag shut.

James had timed this down to the second, but she didn't bother checking her watch. Either she would be on time, or she would abort the mission and try again another day. She opened the back door of the train and the wind buffeted around her, still incredibly strong despite their lowered speed. She braced herself against the gale and slipped her arms through the straps of the grocery bag. She wore it like a backpack, tugging to make sure it was secure before she stepped onto the narrow lip of train's caboose.

She turned and used the butt of her weapon to pound the door's catch out of shape. Hopefully anyone investigating would assume the lock had failed due to fatigue and the spray paint was the work of vandals. Either way she planned to be long gone before either was discovered.

The train neared an unlit station, the lights from the windows revealing support beams in a flickering show of flashes and shadows. Helen took James' gun from her belt and aimed it directly ahead of her. She counted under the breath in German, the wind that whipped around her stealing the words as soon as they were out of her mouth. When she reached _zehn_ , she pulled the trigger.

A filament no wider than a hair shot out, snagging one of the cream-and-red support beams on the edge of the station platform. The train kept going, and Helen folded her arms tight against her chest. She jumped, and the train left her behind. The bag expanded before she could fall, ballooning out behind her like a parachute to catch the wake of the passing train.

She was pulled backwards for a few dozen yards before the wind left her sails and she dropped unharmed to the tracks. She released the snare, slipped the ersatz grocery bag from her shoulders, and withdrew a Mauser Red 9 pistol from its depths. She loaded it and put the bag's strap over her head so it fell against her side like a satchel.

Helen climbed off the tracks while the train's echo was still loud in the tunnel. She took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the ghost station, catching her breath after her death-defying leap of faith. One hundred years trusting James Watson to create the impossible still didn't stop that little flutter in her heart when she put it to the test with her life on the line.

Her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness. The train she had just left served West Berlin, and a section of its track ran under the Wall and through communist East Berlin. The trains didn't stop at these so-called ghost stations, but technical requirements meant that they did slow down just enough for someone with enough daring and courage to make the jump.

In the dark, Helen could see the vague outlines of advertisements on the wall. She used her flashlight to read them, amazed to see they were all over twenty years old. These stations had been abandoned since the Wall went up, and standing there made her feel as if she'd truly been thrown back in time.

The stairs to the street were blocked by a wooden gate. She slipped her arms through the slats, closed her eyes, and began the process of picking the lock from a backwards position. She had practiced this in James' flat, but the real thing was easier to conquer. As she and James had both suspected, the mechanisms weren't routinely serviced and the lock fell away after only a few seconds of manipulation.

She eased the door open, craning her neck to look up the stairs to see if anyone had overheard. Her boots were soft-soled so as not to make noise as she ascended, gripping the gun in her right hand as she slipped her left over the wall. The sky was a square of unusually uniform white above her head. It lacked the texture of cloud cover, and for a moment she entertained the thought that the sun simply didn't shine within the confines of East Berlin. Stranger things had happened.

The entrance of the ghost station was suitably blocked off by security measures. Helen crouched and peered through the metal struts of the cage that surrounded the stairs, scanning the street for soldiers or innocent pedestrians. A pair of soldiers in the flat gray uniforms of East Germany stood a few feet away. One was slumped casually against the building, smoking a cigarette, while the other told an animated tale of a girl named Isabella.

The soldiers were there to prevent people from escaping into the tunnel, not out of it, but they would shoot her just as dead if she tried to run past them. She retreated to a spot where she wouldn't be seen accidentally and checked to make sure her gun was fully loaded before she tucked it into the pocket of her coat. She slumped against the wall and sank down onto the steps.

Helen pressed one hand against her throat and rasped, "Help." She spoke in German, putting an extra whine into the word as she repeated it a bit louder. "Please help me."

She heard boots on the pavement above, and then two helmeted heads peered down. Helen peered up as if beseeching the heavens. She kept one hand on the butt of her Mauser, the other reaching toward them. "Please, kind sirs. Help me."

"How did you get down there?"

"A man. He took me while I was shopping. Dragged me down here after dark, had his way with me." Her voice cracked and she looked away. "Please. I have been hurt very badly."

One of the soldiers moved the sawhorse out of the way and cautiously came down the steps. "Where did this man go?"

"He left while I was unconscious. I do not know where. I hope he stepped in front of the train and was murdered." She spit on the ground and the soldier came closer. "Please. A hospital."

The soldier stopped two steps above her and crouched. He put his hand against the wall over her head and leaned down. She heard him sniffing, and then he said, "Poor girl. Of course, we'll have to make sure you are not lying. Lift your dress so I may see if you're telling us the truth."

"Sir?" Helen tilted her head in confusion.

"Here, let me." He reached for the hem of her dress. Helen drew her weapon and thrust it forward, the needle-thin barrel threading between the buttons of his uniform jacket. He froze in place as the gun pressed into the soft roll of his belly.

"Friedrich?" The soldier still on the street had grown concerned. He took a step closer and Helen heard him adjusting his weapon.

"Tell him to put his gun down and walk away." She kept her voice low enough the other man couldn't hear. "Do it now."

The soldier's voice was strong. "Shoot her, Wilhelm!"

Helen fired and Friedrich was thrown back. Helen swung her gun around and fired, hitting Wilhelm in the upper chest before his brain warned him that he was in danger. The sound of her shooting had temporarily deafened her in the tight confines of the stairs, and she yanked Friedrich's weapon away from him as she ran up to the surface.

Wilhelm was sitting just outside the railway station with his legs spread wide. He was bleeding profusely from the wound on his chest. His eyes widened when he saw her, and he struggled to get his gun turned around. Helen shot him again and he fell flat against the pavement. She didn't check to make sure he was dead, and didn't stop running until she reached the corner. When she spotted a narrow litter-choked alley, she changed direction and crouched behind a bag of garbage.

Helen pressed her back against the brick wall and looked down at her hands. The cuff of her left coat sleeve was dark with Friedrich's blood. "Damn it. Oh, God damn it." She took off her kerchief, letting her dark hair fall around her face as she tied the cloth around her sleeve. Hopefully that would keep her from drawing undue attention to herself.

She waited until she had stopped shaking before she left the alley, although she knew her face was deathly pale. She fought back a wave of nausea at the men she had killed, knowing what they planned to do if she had not pulled the trigger. The men deserved the bullets. She still trembled and swallowed down the bile that threatened to overtake her.

After several blocks, Helen turned a corner and stopped in her tracks. The flat grey barrier ran across the road like the blade of a guillotine dropped from the heavens, nearly bisecting the street. It was deceptively mundane, just a stretch of concrete with a rounded top. She always expected it to be more sinister, to visibly reflect its nature.

She withdrew a small compact object from her pocket and flipped open the top. There was a small metallic pad inside, and she placed her thumb on it and pressed down three times in rapid succession. She closed the lid, checked to make sure she hadn't been seen, and returned the object to her pocket. As she walked back the way she had come, she withdrew a slip of paper from her pocket.

The name of the woman she was searching for was at the top, with an address near the bottom. The code was buried in a block of gibberish which only she and James were capable of translating. That thought caused a pang of sadness to rise in her, but she successfully stamped it down and looked over her shoulder at the gray expanse.

She had successfully breached the Berlin Wall; now it was time to start her real mission.

#

The streets of East Berlin threw Helen back in time forty years, to the war that had caused this place to exist. She passed empty lots and buildings that still bore the scars of long-ago bombing. Though there were children playing in the streets and she saw people going about their daily business, it was hard for her to ignore the flashbacks to long nights in London during the Blitz. She nodded to the people she passed, her mind alternating between London and war-torn France.

The tavern's name, Ertrinken Erde, was written in white paint on the waist-high wooden fence that surrounded the open-air drinking area. Helen walked inside through the front door, pausing to let her eyes adjust to the dim light. The entirety of the city seemed to be wrapped in a dingy fug, and the interior of the bar was no different. Thick clouds of cigarette smoke clung to the ceiling. Muttered conversations broke off as she entered, only to resume again when the speaker saw she wasn't wearing a uniform.

Helen found a place to sit near the bar's entrance and took a seat. She placed her bag beside her, well aware that it held Friedrich's weapon and her own Mauser. Those items, plus the other supplies she'd smuggled behind the Wall, would most likely get her executed if she was found with them in her possession. She made sure that her seat gave her a good view of the bar's entrance just in case.

A blonde woman stepped away from the bar and took a pad from her apron. "Guten tag. Ich bin Lisbeth. Möchten sie gerne etwas trinken?"

Helen smiled. "English?"

"Yes, a little. Not well."

"I'm Dr. Helen Magnus. I received your letter, and I came as quickly as I could." She kept her tone casual, like she was asking about the bar's specials. "I'm here to help you and your sisters."

Lisbeth stared at her for a moment and then looked down at her pad. She scribbled something nonsensical to pretend she was taking an order. She glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the patrons and then quickly looked back at Helen. "I am sorry but your trip was wasted." In German, she added, "I will bring your drink in a moment."

Helen was too stunned to reply. She watched Lisbeth hurry behind the bar and disappear through a swinging door to the back room. She shook off her surprise and gave chase, following Lisbeth through the swinging door before it had a chance to close. The back room of the bar was a cramped storage room, lined on either side with shelves that sagged under the weight of many bottles of liqueur. The weak sun shone through the open alley door, catching the beveled edges of the bottles to cast amber tinctures on the stone walls.

She tried not to be too irritated by the girl's reaction. It wasn't unusual for an Abnormal to have a change of heart at this point in an extraction. They would decide that a little discomfort wasn't so bad, that maybe they could actually cope with the persecution they were facing. Anything was more attractive than the fear of the unknown. Helen wasn't angry about the time and effort she had put into reaching the girls; she just wanted to make sure Lisbeth wasn't make a rash decision based on fear rather than what was best for herself and her family.

Helen followed Lisbeth into the alley, chasing her toward the street. Lisbeth's long, dirty blonde hair trailed behind her like a cape. Helen jogged after her and Lisbeth, hearing her pursuit, gave up her flight and sagged against the back wall of the tavern. She hugged herself, folding forward as she waited for Helen to catch up.

"I am sorry you have come all this way for nothing."

"Why are you so certain that I have?"

Lisbeth brushed her hair behind her ears and looked toward the street. Helen examined the girl, grateful to have a face to go with the name and the letters. Her eyes were a shocking cobalt blue, her nose just slightly too large for her face. Her bar uniform was a maroon blouse under a black vest, and she reached up to toy with the topmost button as she considered her words.

"It is my sisters. They do not wish to leave. They did not know about the letter at first, but Katja discovered it among my things. Neither of them wishes to leave."

"You cannot stay here. It's not safe. If the Russians discover--"

Lisbeth waved her hand to cut Helen off. "You do not have to explain it to me, Dr. Magnus, I was the one who sent the letter. But if my sisters will not go, then neither shall I. I will not leave them on their own."

Helen closed her eyes. A difficult mission had just gotten a little more complicated. She always knew that escaping would be the most difficult part, but if they didn't leave immediately... "Then you and I shall have to convince your sisters together."

Lisbeth stared at Helen for a long moment and the corners of her lips curled into a bemused smile. "And who are you? If they won't listen to their own sister, why should they listen to some woman they have never met?"

"I'm the woman who risked crossing the Berlin Wall to rescue them. They'll listen to me because I'll give them no choice." She looked toward the back door of the tavern. "Now come on. Your boss will be wondering where you are."

They walked to the door together. Before they went inside, Lisbeth stepped in front of Helen. "Thank you. I did not think anyone would come. I could not imagine anyone would be brazen enough to take the risk."

"You haven't seen anything yet." Helen grinned and put her hand on the younger woman's shoulder to guide her back inside. "Come on. You'll finish your shift and then we can go speak with your sisters."

"I fear it is a hopeless case."

Helen couldn't help but laugh. "My dear, I specialize in hopeless."

Five Weeks Earlier,  
Helen took as much air as possible, holding it as her face was once again shoved under the water's icy surface. She could fight only by moving her shoulders, splashing water onto her torturer's legs. She heard him cursing her but, as her ears were underwater and he was speaking a Slavic dialect she didn't know, it was little more than gibberish. He grabbed her collar and she surfaced again, spitting a mouthful of water as she struggled for breath.

The main interrogator spoke only vague English, though he understood it well enough. "It does not have to end this way, Lady Magnus. Tell us what you have done with the egg and it will end."

 _With my death, in all likelihood_. She looked at the man and answered him with the only phrase of his language she'd picked up during her imprisonment: "Smile pretty, pretty lady."

The interrogator made a slashing motion with his right hand. Helen was dunked once more, struggling to get away from the man's strong grip. When he pulled her up again, he released her collar and let her drop to the floor. Helen cried out in pain as her shoulder hit the concrete, and then the interrogator placed a boot on her head.

"Your time is up, Lady Magnus. Either answer our questions or we will be forced to--"

The lights dimmed and Helen closed her eyes. "About bloody time."

The interrogator turned and barked orders in his native language and the guards fled the room. He crouched and hauled Helen to her feet, holding her by the lapels of the dingy gray prison jacket. Her hair hung in her face like a wet veil and she met his glare. He pulled her forward, close enough that his rancid breath washed over her face when he spoke.

"Your friends are too late."

Helen smiled. "Better late than never."

From the corridor, they heard gunfire and the shouts of guards. The interrogator seemed torn between leaving Helen and joining the fight, but he finally threw her down in disgust. This time her landing was softer, and she managed to get on her feet before the soldier was out of the room. Beside the tub, the cell offered only a single light bulb protected by a steel cage, a chair, a blanket and pillow that was supposed to be her bed. She'd seen dogs treated better at disreputable kennels.

She walked to the cell door and looked through the small Judas window. There was a commotion at the end of the hallway, but she couldn't see any details. A person suddenly stepped in front of the door and Helen recoiled before she recognized the green eyes wrinkled by a smile. Tara's bright red hair was pulled away from her face, and she held up the keys. They jangled like bells accompanying the music of her Welsh accent.

"Sorry for the delay, ma'am. Had a bit of a dispute with gestation periods."

"It's not an exact science. Quickly, please."

Tara unlocked the door and, when Helen turned, unfastened her handcuffs. She lightly touched Helen's forehead. "Are you injured?"

"I'll be fine once we're out of this place. Have we transportation?"

"Up on the roof. We got the engine runnin'."

"Let's not keep it waiting." She put her hand on Tara's shoulder and ran for the door. They were nearly to freedom when the interrogator shouted for her to stop. Helen turned, and Tara leveled her assault rifle at him. The ceiling was raining down plaster dust as the rest of the building trembled under the assault. Helen looked at Tara, who used her free hand to pull a small baggie from her pocket.

Helen took it from her. "You wanted your egg back? Fine." She hurled the bag down the hall and it landed at the soldier's feet. The shards broke further when they hit the ground. "Fortunately the child was with its mother when it hatched, so it imprinted upon her. Their first order of business is to make you pay for what you tried to do. The bes'goth can be very destructive when they're angry. I would make haste, if I were you."

He shouted wordlessly at her before he turned and ran in the opposite direction. Tara led Helen to a staircase that led to the roof of the stronghold. As they stepped out into the sunshine, Helen turned and saw two great winged beasts - what would have been called pterosaurs in history books - circling the main section of the building.

"The other prisoners..."

"We told mama about them. She knows they're innocents and she'll do her best to make sure they're not hurt."

Helen nodded. Not all of the prisoners in the compound were innocent, but Helen knew none of them deserved the treatment they were getting. If the warden had gained the loyalty of a newborn bes'goth, there would have been nothing to stop him. It was for the greater good, but the thought of relatively innocent souls being collateral damage didn't sit well with her.

She followed Tara to the helicopter sitting a few yards away. Helen climbed into the backseat and strapped in, and Tara settled in beside her. There was a headset hanging over the seat and she took a moment to slip it on. The noise of the rotors was drastically reduced, and she angled the microphone in front of her mouth before she spoke. "A helicopter? You're such a little boy sometimes, James!"

James Watson smiled over his shoulder from the pilot seat. "I figured we had already stolen a tank and a biplane. If this blasted place wasn't landlocked, I could have gotten a submarine."

Helen and Tara laughed. Helen patted his shoulder. "Perhaps next time."

"Promises, promises!" He lifted off as the building shook once more. Helen twisted to look out of the helicopter at the pterosaurs sweeping and diving at the structure. James seemed to read her thoughts. "The UK Sanctuary is awaiting their arrival. They know where to go and to keep a low profile. Or as low a profile as two dinosaurs can keep, anyway."

"Thank you, James." She sagged against the back of her seat and looked at Tara. They smiled at each other and Helen took the girl's hand. Tara patted Helen's wrist, and Helen closed her eyes so she could rest for as much of the trip as possible.

The fuel in their helicopter only took them as far as Berlin. As they approached, a bored German voice came over the radio. "You have entered restricted airspace. Please--"

Helen moved the microphone in front of her mouth. "Werner? Is that you? This is Dr. Helen Magnus en route to the Sanctuary."

The tone of the voice changed immediately. "Apologies, Dr. Magnus. We were not aware."

"Quite all right."

James was snickering in his seat as the call was cut off. He looked over his shoulder and then smiled at Tara. "Better than traveling with the Queen Mum herself."

Tara laughed and winked at Helen.

As they came in for the landing, Helen looked down at the thwarted shell of the Sanctuary she had been trying to establish for nearly twenty years. Bureaucratic nonsense and the Cold War impeded her at every turn, and now it was manned by a skeleton crew with only a handful of Abnormals in its care. It was frustrating, but there was little she could do about it until tensions lessened.

James landed them safely on the pad at the back of the Sanctuary. During the flight, her hair and skin had dried, but she could still feel a film of the fetid water she'd been dunked in. She wouldn't feel clean until she'd had a few showers. James caught up with her, the mechanisms of his device whining as he strained their limits.

"Hopefully our arrival wasn't terribly overdue. We were in the midst of a debate about whether we should go ahead with the rescue when the blasted egg finally began to hatch."

"It's fine. Nothing I haven't endured in the past. I take it the child was well?"

Tara opened the door and ushered them inside. "Mama seemed happy, and neither of them seemed bothered by the idea of going to take a little bite out of the bastards who had taken her baby. I think we only would have had problems if we tried to hold them back."

The interior of the Berlin Sanctuary felt like a hotel that had fallen into disrepair. The wallpaper was blistered and peeling away at the edges, and the tile bore the stains of far too many muddy boots passing over them without a proper cleaning. The difficulty of getting ordinary supplies like light bulbs meant that the Sanctuary's head was forced to pick and choose which stretches of hallway had full lighting and which were cast deep in shadow.

Helen focused on the pterosaurs that had been left behind at the prison. "Have someone from... Barney. If Barney is available, have him ready a squadron to provide an escort for their return to England. I don't want dinosaur sightings over the English channel if we can help it."

"Straight away." Tara stepped away when the hall branched out, but she turned to walk backwards so she could face Helen and James. "Glad you made it outta there, Dr. Magnus. We were all terribly worried."

Helen nodded as the girl left, and she sighed as James laughed quietly. She glared at him. "You be quiet."

James suppressed his humor as they continued down the corridor. "It's just a harmless crush. It's nothing worth losing your composure. Either let her down easy or indulge in a bit of exploration."

"I've had quite enough exploration. Courting is an activity best left to the young. I think you and I can agree we left that particular age a long time ago." They reached the elevator and she looked down at his chest as if she could see through his clothing. "How is your contraption fairing? You've been pushing yourself to the limits more and more lately."

James touched the front of his shirt, and his smile looked more like a wince of pain. "What good are limits if you don't push them? A man should only stop at his limit, and not five or ten paces ahead of it. And then, he should push the limit just a touch farther."

"And if it doesn't budge, you die." They stepped into the elevator. "You're being reckless."

"And you are being a mother hen." His tone was sharp and he looked down, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I'm sorry. Perhaps you're right. I have been a bit on edge these past few days. But the thought of resting while you were in that godforsaken--" He bit down on his words and forced himself to remain calm. Helen could almost smell the gears of his invention smoking.

Helen waited and kept her voice soft. "Would you like some help?"

"No, I couldn't ask you--"

"I asked. If nothing else, you and I are still friends, James."

He looked at her and, after a moment, acquiesced with a slight nod of his head. Helen slipped her arm around his when the elevator doors opened. James, freed from putting on a show, leaned against her as they walked to his room. Helen let herself in and guided him to the bed. James groaned as he bent to sit on the mattress, his hands on his knees as Helen knelt in front of him.

"Pushing the limits indeed." She clucked her tongue and began undoing the buttons of his waistcoat.

James made one last attempt to stop her. "Helen, after everything you have been through these past few days--"

"I'll be fine. If you don't get this checked, you'll age in a matter of minutes and die." She spread the halves of his vest and then quickly undid the buttons of his shirt. She tried not to think about the first time she had done this or the myriad of times since. Her hands trembling as she separated the last barriers between them, her breasts pressing against his device as he lifted her dress and slid his finger--

Helen cleared her throat and lowered her head, hoping the dim light of the bedroom hid her blushing. James helped her get the clothes off, soon sitting before her in just the chest plate and spindly arms of his life-enhancing contraption. James was fully ensnared by the machine, which had grown incrementally over the years. He kept adding new pieces, expanding its grip on his body, until Helen was afraid one day she would wake up and find he'd been replaced completely by a faceless, anonymous automaton.

"Where is your primer?"

"Bottom drawer."

Helen moved just a few inches and opened the drawer. She withdrew the small device and sat it on the bed beside James. He reached up and disconnected the pieces that held the chest plate in place. Helen's touch was tender but unwavering. She pressed down on a button and released two catches. She looked at James to make sure he was ready and then gingerly lifted the mechanical shell away from his body.

James gasped as the two inner nodes lost contact with his flesh, his fingers curling in the blankets. He tried to keep his breath steady for the thirty seconds between the central device's removal and Helen's application of the ancillary apparatus. He covered her hand with his once it was in place, waiting for the pain to subside before he opened his eyes.

"Thank you."

"Of course." Helen couldn't imagine what it felt like during those brief intervals when James was separated from his invention. To feel the weight of over ninety years crushing down on you in a single instant? It was a wonder James was able to remain upright. She checked his temples and the chin of his goatee for signs of new gray, and smiled when she saw he'd remained dark. "No aging today."

"Thank goodness for small favors, then."

Helen nodded. She realized James' hand was still on top of hers, and that she was kneeling between his legs in a borderline obscene position. A habit of over two decades was hard to break, even with a life as long as hers, and her body seemed determined to not let her forget that they had once finished this procedure with carnal delights. She slid her hand down, and James let her go. She stood and smoothed down the prison suit.

"I should change."

"Yes. I'm sure Dr. Mara wishes to look you over after your sojourn in the prison. Thank you for your help." He pushed himself back onto the bed, resting his shoulders against the headboard.

"Of course." She turned and left his room, closing the door quietly behind her. She toyed with the hem of her jacket just to give her hands something to do as she walked back to the elevator. She was nearly there when the doors opened and the head of Sanctuary stepped out. Eva Marlene wore a thin white smock that hung around her slender frame like a curtain. The collar stretched into a bell-shaped hood that she wore over honey-blonde hair. In the dingy and unfinished halls of the Berlin Sanctuary, she seemed like an angelic vision sent to give hope to the forgotten.

Eva smiled when she saw Helen. "Tara told me you were back. I am pleased to see you are well." She lightly kissed Helen's cheeks and gripped her hands. "Have you been to see Dr. Mara yet?"

"I was on my way there now."

Eva nodded. "Good. I will walk with you." She reached into the pocket of her shawl. "You received a letter in your absence. I held it for you."

The envelope was faded ocher, with smudges and stains on the edges where it had been handled by dirty fingers. In contrast, the handwriting on the front of the envelope was precise and clean. Helen's name had been carefully spelled out with a talented hand. There was no return address. "Where did it come from?"

"Nearby." Eva cleared her throat. "The other side of Berlin."

Helen was overwhelmed by the thought. "On the other side of the Wall? How was it delivered?"

"The letter's provenance is a bit hard to pin down precisely. It would seem it was given to a soldier, who handed it to a young man he was assisting in his escape. When the attempt was successful, the escapee gave it to his brother, a nurse in the local clinic. The nurse handed it to Dr. Mara, who gave it to me. And now it has finally reached you."

"I'm humbled."

They arrived at the makeshift infirmary, where Dr. Mara was already waiting to give Helen a physical. "I'll leave you here." She kissed Helen's cheek again. "Be well."

"And you, Eva."

Helen went to the bed Dr. Mara indicated and sat down. Her exhaustion wrapped around her like a blanket, the adrenaline that had kept her going for the past few days finally giving up the fight. She struggled to keep her eyelids up as she opened the envelope and removed the carefully folded letter. As Dr. Mara began to check her out, Helen read the tiny printing on the missive. It was written in German, but she didn't have any trouble deciphering it.

 _"Dear Dr. Magnus,  
I know you only as a legend, but I hope there is truth to the stories. If not, I hope this letter reaches someone, perhaps, who is the basis of the myth. My name is Lisbeth Winston. My sisters and I are in desperate need of your help..."_


	2. Chapter 2

While Lisbeth finished her shift at the tavern, Helen went into the small bathroom at the back of the shop. She took off her jacket and washed the sleeve under the faucet in a futile attempt to wash away the soldier's blood. When she finally gave up, she simply folded the jacket with the sleeves on the inside and carried it back out to the bar. She sat in a table at the back, where she wouldn't be in Lisbeth's way, and tried to come up with a way to salvage her plan.

Things began going sideways when she was forced to kill the guards at the railway station. If she could have just convinced them to look the other way... She dispelled that thought. The guards would never have simply let her walk past them. Regardless, even with the murders, there was a chance she could have gotten Lisbeth and her sisters and returned to the station before the deaths were discovered.

James had considered the plan reckless and foolhardy, but it was all they had for the time being. Now she had to admit that it had never been viable, and she was trapped until she could come up with a better way out. It wasn't impossible, as thousands of people had escaped since the Wall went up, but many had also died in the attempt.

She withdrew the radio from her pocket and tapped out three short beats and one long one. The code she and James had come up with was simple enough to remember, and even if it was intercepted, it could be waved off as random interference. The downside to a simple means of communication meant that she could only let James know there was a problem without elaborating. As long as she didn't send the panic code - a single unbroken signal - he wouldn't attempt a rescue.

Lisbeth signaled to Helen from behind the bar when her shift was over. Helen stood as Lisbeth removed her apron and signed out, and they walked outside together. It was late afternoon, but the sky was still a single unbroken sheet of dismal grey. Helen put her hands in her pockets as they walked, waiting for Lisbeth to break her silence first.

"My sisters and I were born here, behind the Wall. This is the only life, the only home, we have ever known. They are frightened by the idea of leaving. They worry that there is nothing better for us out there."

Helen saw a pair of Soviet soldiers running down the opposite side of the street, guns drawn. She and Lisbeth both tensed, stepping aside to put their shoulders against the wall until the armed men were gone. Helen watched the corner they disappeared around for a moment before she lightly touched Lisbeth's shoulder and prompted her to keep walking. She could understand how children, even teenagers, could decide to stay with the devil they knew than risk a big wide unknown world.

Helen slipped her arm around Lisbeth's elbow. "Hopefully together we can convince them otherwise."

Lisbeth sighed and put her hand on top of Helen's. "I hope so. My parents told me stories of you and your Sanctuary when I was growing up. It was like a fairy tale. A place where we could be safe and protected. When my parents died last year, I decided to see if it was true. I spoke with people who had been outside and they claimed you were real. I assumed you would be much older, however."

Helen smiled. "You might be surprised. I'm much older than I look. You mentioned in the letter that you and your sisters inherited your parents' abilities."

"Yes, but they only started noticing the power recently."

"Abnormal abilities can often remain dormant throughout puberty. It's not an exact science. How old are your sisters?"

"Minna is seventeen, and Katya just turned fifteen."

Helen couldn't hide her surprise. "That is shockingly late."

Lisbeth didn't seem concerned. She simply nodded as if it was an expected complaint. "Well, yes. Because of the Wall."

Helen furrowed her brow. "What does the Wall have to do with your Abnormal abilities manifesting themselves?"

Lisbeth looked confused. "You do not know?"

"Know what?"

"In the thirties, the _Ahnenerbe_ discovered a kind of stone in Sweden with unusual properties. They brought it back for research and discovered the Abnormals they were holding captive in their laboratory could no longer use their powers, or had their powers greatly reduced. Further experiments were done and they learned it was an effective way to entrap Abnormals who would otherwise be unable to cage."

Helen thought back to James' report of their time in Carentan, John's attempt to teleport them both to safety. The walls of the building had prevented them somehow. "My God. The stone--"

Lisbeth nodded toward the west. "They used the stone in the Wall. No Abnormal can penetrate the Wall using their abilities, and those of us who live in close proximity cannot fully use our powers." She punched her fist into the palm of her left hand, then held it up for Helen's examination. A lame spark jumped from her index finger to the thumb, but it fizzled before making contact. She smiled sadly. "I have seen photographs of my mother with her hands aflame with light."

Helen could only offer Lisbeth half her attention. She looked toward the west, although the Wall wasn't visible from where they were. If James was relying on the residents of the Berlin Sanctuary to back him up for any potential rescue attempts, he was going to be in for a nasty surprise. And Helen's chances of a successful escape had once again shrunk.

#

After James left Helen at the train station, he reported their progress to Eva and put the emergency response team on stand-by. He had rented a small apartment the month before, during their initial planning to breach the Wall. He could have stayed at the Sanctuary, but being near the Wall made him feel like he was close to Helen. It was a comfort to see it through the window, knowing he could be through the gates in a matter of minutes.

His apartment was the first one at the top of the stairs, on the second floor. He held the key in his right hand, but he paused before unlocking the door. He stood completely still and listened, tilting his head first to one side and then the other. He forced his mind to let Helen's security go for a moment so he could address the problem at hand with a clear head.

One scratch on the doorknob, near the keyhole.

He stared at the scratch for a moment, certain it hadn't been there before, and carefully unlocked the door. He pushed it open and stepped into the apartment. It had come sparsely furnished, with a single armchair, a desk, and a standing lamp in one corner. It wasn't a place to live in, so there weren't any knickknacks to have been disturbed. James closed the door and dropped the keys onto the desk. The noise they made was unbelievably loud in the small apartment, his eyes scanning the small space as if someone could have hidden in it.

James took one step toward the kitchen, the stirrup of his exoskeleton clunking on the hardwood. He heard a noise behind him and acted on instinct. He twisted at the waist and swung his arm up to hold off the attack even as his mind rebelled at what was happening. John Druitt swept James' arm aside without effort, his other hand stabbing forward at James' neck. James jerked back to avoid the blow as John vanished once more.

James lunged for the door, but John was too fast for him. He reappeared behind James, grabbed the shoulders of his coat, and threw him into the mostly-empty living room. James hit the ground with a mechanical clatter, growled, and struggled to get to his feet. John crossed the room in two easy strides, placed his foot on James' hand, and stomped it down to the floor.

"Hello, James. My goodness, it has been a while, hasn't it?"

His voice was eerily calm, like the sound of the bogeyman luring a child into the darkness of the closet. James glared up at him, baring his teeth.

"You're not welcome here, Druitt."

"Is that any way to treat an old school chum?" He moved his foot from James' hand, bent at the waist, and hauled him onto his feet. He spun around, swinging James like a child dancing with a rag doll. James cried out as he was slammed against the wall, the framework that provided him with life pressing painfully against his joints.

John closed in, his face inches from James'. His skin seemed to burn, the heat radiating between them until sweat beaded on James' forehead. John's fingers tightened in the cloth, and James felt his feet leaving the ground. When John spoke, his voice was still singsong and carefree.

"I heard a rumor. A dangerous mission being planned at the Berlin Sanctuary. Helen Magnus was going over the Berlin Wall." He smiled and turned his head so that James was looking into his eyes. "And who else but her dear, loyal James Watson would be helping her?" He pulled James away from the wall only to slam him against it again. The music left his voice as he leaned in closer. "I was too late to prevent this travesty from happening, and now Helen is trapped, in East Germany, with no way out."

"You underestimate her, John." James' voice was trembling, his fear evident. He couldn't put on a brave face, couldn't pretend like he was anything less than terrified of this man. John Druitt, who had done so many horrible things to the only woman James had ever loved. John Druitt, who had turned from a beloved classmate into an unrepentant monster.

"Perhaps so." John lowered James again, keeping him against the wall with one hand. With the other, he began violently undoing the buttons of James' shirt. "But just in case, you and I are not going to leave this room until Helen is safely back within West Germany. When I am certain she's safe... so shall you be."

James looked down as his shirt sagged open, and John examined the face of the device. "You've made adjustments, I see." He gently touched part of the machine, running his finger over the metal in an almost loving manner. James shivered.

"The most foolish thing you ever did, Dr. Watson, was ensuring your trusted classmates knew how to provide maintenance to this device. Nikola provided the initial sketches, and you and Helen... heads together over the laboratory table... designing the prototype. And then painstakingly teaching Nigel and myself what to do if anything ever went wrong. But how could you have known what the future held? Even with your brilliance, you still couldn't see the future."

James groaned as John idly adjusted the machine's settings. "You... bloody bastard."

"Tell me, James," John continued, ignoring the fact James had even spoken. "Did you love her? Even then? Those late nights in the library, lit only by the flickering flame of a dim lantern. Did you ever violate my fiancé? Did your hands push aside her skirts while she gasped with pleasure? Or did you wait until I was gone before you took her from me?"

"You cast her... aside... heartless prick..."

There was a row of faders along the side of the device, and John used the tip of his index finger to push two of them all the way down. James' body arched in pain, veins standing out in his forehead as the machine slowly cycled down. John cupped James' chin in his hand and squeezed, preventing James from looking away.

"We may be waiting here for quite a while. I would suggest you get comfortable, but that would be counterproductive to my plans."

James screamed as John manipulated another dial.

#

The little slate gray Trabi car was surprisingly comfortable, although the two-stroke engine began rattling like pebbles in a washing machine as soon as Lisbeth turned the key. Lisbeth, unaware of Helen's newest unease, continued explaining her sisters' reluctance to leave and her own determination to get them out. "My mother and father taught me well, trained me to control my ability so it would not become destructive. I have tried to follow their example, but I am out of my element. Three months ago, Minna fell out of bed. By the time I woke, her bedroom was in flames."

"So your power is based on kinetic absorption?" Helen was grateful for the chance to occupy her mind with a classification. "Fascinating."

"The energy tends to dissipate if it's not expelled. But in some instances, like when Minna fell while asleep, it can be hazardous. The energy from her fall manifested itself and ignited her curtains."

Helen reached over and touched Lisbeth's shoulder. "Don't worry, Lisbeth. I've spent much of my life helping people just like your sister learn how to live with their abilities. If I'm unable to find a way to safely get all four of us out of Berlin, I won't leave until I'm certain Minna and Katya have a measure of control."

"Thank you, Helen. I do not know what we have done to deserve your kindness."

"No one has to earn kindness. It's freely given." She dropped her hand and watched as the street slowly rolled past. "We should stop somewhere and buy some food. I wouldn't want to strain your resources."

"It is not a problem. I did the grocery shopping on Wednesday and there should be enough for all of us, at least for a day or two."

Helen opened a pouch on her belt and took out some folded paper money. "If it's money you're concerned about, I've brought more than--"

Lisbeth glanced at the cash and then slapped Helen's hand down so it couldn't be seen through the window. "Are you crazy?"

"What's wrong?"

"There is no surplus in Berlin. Do you know what would happen if the desert became communist? After a few years there would be a shortage of sand." She tightened her fingers on the steering wheel. "I cannot be seen to have too much money, or too much food."

"Of course. I'm sorry, I didn't think." She returned the money to her belt.

Lisbeth sighed. "It is best to think of this place as a prison. We have freedom of movement, but little else. These soldiers are the guards and wardens."

Helen watched as they passed one of the Soviets. "I just got out of a prison."

"Then you should feel right at home in Berlin."

Lisbeth parked in front of a brownstone and leaned back in her seat. "The girls will not be happy that you came. They will think I am attempting to force them to leave against their will."

"I'll make sure they know it's their decision. If all they only want me to lend my assistance and then leave, then that's what I'll do."

"Thank you, Dr. Magnus."

"Helen. Lead the way, Ms. Winston."

They got out of the car and Lisbeth led Helen through the building's dark lobby to the stairs. They ascended in silence, and Lisbeth knocked once before she found her keys and let them into the apartment. The front door opened into a cramped and cluttered living room. The kitchen was to the right, and two closed doors were to the left. Lisbeth called for her sisters in German. "Minna, Katya. Come here, I have a guest."

One of the doors opened, and two girls came out. One of them was brunette and wore thick glasses, while the blonde had already narrowed her eyes in suspicion before the door was opened. They wore similar clothes, T-shirts and jean shorts, but the brunette's feet were bare. She walked straight up to Magnus and then looked at her sister. "Who the hell is this?"

"Language, Wilhelmina! This is Helen Magnus. Helen, meet Minna and Katya Winston, my sisters."

Katya remained on the opposite side of the room, putting the maximum distance of about eight feet between herself and this uninvited guest. "You actually brought her here? After we said--"

"You said no after I had sent the letter. I could not simply send another one that said 'Oh, wait, never mind.' She had come here to help us, Katya."

Katya shook her head. "We don't need your help."

Minna turned to face her sister. "I nearly burned down our house. Our building! If she can help us, then I want her here." She held out her hand to Helen and switched to English. "Hello. You can call me Minna."

"Hello, Minna. You can call me Helen." Helen shook her hand. She looked past her at Katya. "And I assure you that I'm very good at what I do. I've been helping Abnormals, people just like you, for my entire life."

Katya bristled. "You call us _Abnormal_?"

"It's not a derogatory term, I assure you. It's simply a classification that--"

"I want nothing to do with you or your Sanctuary. You will leave us alone." She turned and went back into her room, slamming the door behind her. Lisbeth sighed, looked at Helen in apology, and went after her.

Minna took off her glasses and folded the earpieces carefully before she placed them in her pocket. She gestured for Helen to take a seat on the lumpy couch. Helen sat, and Minna took a seat in the armchair facing her. "I'm sorry for Katya's behavior. She has been very angry since mother and father's deaths."

"Hardly surprising," Helen said. "I only hope that I can gain her trust."

"When do you plan to take us away?"

"That's up to you, actually. Lisbeth mentioned that you and Katya were both reluctant to take my offer of rescue. If I can't convince you to join me in escaping, or if I simply can't figure out a way to get all of us safely out, I will merely lend my expertise while I'm here before I leave."

Minna's eyes widened. "You would leave if we did not wish to go with you?"

"Certainly. I'm not in the habit of holding people against their will." She thought of some of the creatures in the Special Housing Unit back at the Old City Sanctuary. "Well, unless it would be detrimental to allow them to roam free, that is. You and your sisters don't need to be imprisoned. You need to be shown how to control your powers so you won't be a danger to yourselves or others. I can help you do that right here."

The bedroom door opened and Katya stormed out. She took a coat from the hook behind the door and shoved her arms into the sleeves. Lisbeth followed her out of the room, arms crossed over her chest.

"Where are you going?"

"Away."

"If you are not here for dinner--"

Katya glared at her sister. "Then I suppose I shall starve." She faced Helen and did a curtsey elaborate enough that the mockery was clear. "It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Helen Magnus." She threw the door open and slammed it behind her when she left.

Lisbeth dropped onto the arm of Minna's chair and put her face in her hands. Minna rubbed Lisbeth's knee. They spoke quietly in German, and Helen made a point not to translate what they said to each other. Finally Lisbeth put an arm around Minna, hugged her, and then looked at Helen. "I am sorry you had to be subjected to that."

"It's quite all right. I understand the source of her rancor."

Minna stood up and kissed Lisbeth's forehead. She smiled and rubbed her hands together. "Now, I think someone mentioned dinner. What do we feel like tonight?"

Lisbeth forced a smile and took her sister's hand. "Let us see what we have."

Helen stood as the sisters went into the kitchen. "Actually, I think I might take a brief walk." Lisbeth and Minna exchanged a look. "Would that be all right?"

"Of course." Lisbeth hesitated. "Katya likes the little lot on the corner. There are a few trees there growing wild, a-and some people have tried to make it into a park. You could probably find her there, if you were looking for her."

"Thank you. I'll be back in time for dinner." She went to the door and let herself out.

#

James woke in his bed. He was flat on his back, stripped down to his underwear and the glistening black and gold exoskeleton. He tried to move, tried to push himself up, but his body wouldn't comply. His fingers twitched, the muscles dancing as they tried to move. The exoskeleton remained frozen in place. The bedroom door was open and, through it, he could hear John moving around. His heart began to pound as he realized the predicament he was in.

"You're not planning to do anything rash, are you?" John's voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. His footsteps sounded hollow on the hardwood floor. "I'd hate to do anything permanent to that invention of yours. It really is quite ingenious."

"Why are you doing this, John?"

"Because Helen needs me. And for some reason beyond my ken, I am unable to teleport beyond the Wall to come to her aid. I am certain she has some way to contact you, so here is where I shall remain, at her beck and call should the need arise."

James grunted. It hurt him to think of Helen calling for help, expecting James to fly to her rescue and finding John there instead.

"This device of yours has sounded twice. Three short bursts the first time, and then a series of three short and one long. What does that mean?" James didn't answer. "If there is some signal Helen is anticipating, I suggest you allow me to send it. She is in a very dangerous place, and you are her only connection to the outside world. Can you imagine how frightened she would be if that connection were suddenly lost?"

"Damn you," James growled. "It's a signal. The first meant that she made it safely inside. The other meant she had encountered some sort of problem and the plan has been changed. She won't be coming back as quickly as we'd hoped."

"Bad news for you, then. Is there a message I should send back?"

James swallowed and considered sending the panic signal. But there was truth in John's words. If he told Helen that he was in trouble, he would be severing her only lifeline. He couldn't rely on the Berlin Sanctuary for help until he knew who was responsible for leaking information to this madman. He wet his lips. "Two short bursts, one long signal, and then two more short bursts. It means her messages have been received and I await further word."

After a few minutes, John appeared in the bedroom door. James had his first opportunity to truly examine the man he'd once called friend. His head was completely shaven, adding to his overall sinister presence. He wore a long-sleeved black shirt buttoned to the collar and black trousers that seemed to flow like ink with the movement of his legs. He stepped closer to the bed and bent down over James' face. His lips, pink and tremulous, spread into a smile. James focused on the scar running from his lip to his right cheek so he wouldn't have to look his evil in the eye.

"It was quite the ordeal figuring out how some of this worked. I do hope I haven't done any permanent damage in my fiddling. I'm sure we'll find out once Helen returns. She must have the magic touch when it comes to making you feel all better." He chuckled and looked down at James as if he was a museum piece. He let his fingers trail over the cold metal. "Of course there's a chance the two of you have ended your little romance. Does she find it distasteful to mount a clockwork man? Is her ardor quashed by the sound of your machinery squeaking while you thrust against her?"

James tried to lunge at his captor, but the framework kept his body locked to the mattress.

"Perhaps you simply cannot rise to the occasion." He put his hand over the crotch of James' underwear, rubbing with his palm until he felt a response. James balled his hands into fists and cursed under his breath. "I see that's not the case... so tell me. Are you still fucking my former paramour?"

"No."

John laughed and removed his hand. He stood and walked back to the bedroom door. "I suppose 'til death do we part' is a bit much to ask of those like us. So tell me, when did she tire of you?"

James stared at a water spot on the ceiling. "When Nigel died. We went to the Sanctuary in America and made love. Afterward she told me it would be the last time. That is what you have done to her, John. That's what this gift of extended life has done to her. Do you have any idea how much has been taken from her in the past century? You were simply her first loss."

John had remained still and silent in the doorway of the bedroom. Finally he turned and looked over James' body again. "Pray for her safety, James." He walked out into the living room, disappearing from sight once more.

James stared at the ceiling and let a tear slip free. It rolled down his cheek and he whispered, "I never stop praying for that, you stupid man."


	3. Chapter 3

Helen found the park without any trouble. Katya was sitting on a bench, her hands held out in front of her so she could stare at her palms. She looked up as Helen approached, scoffed, and stood up. She walked toward the back of the lot, but the perimeter was surrounded by a rickety security fence. Katya gestured at the fence and turned back to face Helen. "Everywhere I go, I am trapped by walls. Did Lees send you?"

"I offered to come find you. May we sit?"

Katya shrugged and walked back to the bench. Helen sat beside her and looked around the park. It was obvious the lot had started out as the remnants of a building bombed during the war, but the residents had done an admirable job of sprucing it up. Flowers dotted the landscape along the edges of the lot, crawling up the brick wall of neighboring buildings. "This garden is probably the only spot of color I've seen since I arrived here. I can see why you would be drawn here."

"You want to save me from this hellhole. You think no one could possibly want to live here." She kept her face still, obviously combating tears. "But you don't understand. You can't understand. This is my home."

"I understand better than you might think, Katya. When I was younger, I had a group of friends. We were scholars, all interested in the mysteries of life and existence. We all had different reasons for arriving in the same place, but we found one another. During our explorations, we did something that was perhaps... ill-advised in retrospect. We tied ourselves together forever. Some of us moved on to do great things, and others..." She looked away and composed herself before she continued.

"One member of the group was my fiancé. We were so in love. And then I discovered that what we had done changed him in horrible, unthinkable ways. He became a monster that I didn't even recognize. I went from wearing his ring to shooting him, and I aimed to kill. Another member of our group began robbing banks to make a living, while another became such a danger that he was forced to fake his death in order to escape the authorities."

Katya was staring at her now, and Helen faced her fully.

"These men complicate my life in ways that you cannot imagine. And yet, when I think of a life without them in it... As horrible as they are, they represent a connection to a past that has been stolen from me bit by bit. John, my fiancé, has vanished. Nikola, the one who faked his death, has been silent for nearly forty years and I wonder if I will ever see him again. Nigel, the bank robber, is dead. There are only two of us now. The bank robber, the murderer, and the maniac, and I wish every day to see them again. I'm sure that may seem peculiar to you--"

Katya spoke softly. "Just as my desire to remain here would seem odd to you."

Helen smiled. "Sometimes we're not fortunate enough to choose who or what receives our loyalty. And sometimes, once loyalty has been given, it's not something that can be explained or justified. This is your home, and I will not force you to leave it. But since I'm here, I will do everything in my power to ensure you can control your powers so you're not a danger to yourself, your sisters, or to others."

"You can do that?"

"It's what I do." She put her hand on Katya's sleeve and lifted her arm. "You and your sisters have the ability to absorb energy directed at you. That can be a powerful weapon, and incredibly dangerous if it isn't controlled. Were you there when Minna accidentally caught the curtains on fire?"

Katya nodded. "We share the bedroom. I woke and saw flames and..." Her voice trailed off and she pulled her hand away from Helen. "I was so scared I couldn't even move. Luckily Lees was there. She's been so strong since mother..."

Helen nodded. "How did it happen?"

"Father died when we were little. Mother did the best she could and got a job in a clothing factory. There was a fire." Her voice caught in her throat and she put her hand to her mouth. "When I heard, I feared it was mother's ability. That she somehow started the flames. But the officials say it started farther back in the facility and cut off her escape."

"I'm so sorry. Katya, I'm sure your mother would want you to be safe. Lisbeth wants the same thing. She sent me that letter so that you, Lisbeth and Minna can live normal lives. Whether that's here in your home, or on the outside. Either way you will all be free to choose."

Katya shook her head. "Lisbeth wants to go. If she goes, Minna and I must go with her or remain behind, alone. I couldn't live without her."

"What makes you think Lisbeth would abandon you like that? She's not making this decision for herself, she made it for you. Whatever you decide, I assure you, Lisbeth will remain by your side."

Katya was quiet for a long moment. She looked down at her hand. "Lisbeth says because of the Wall, our abilities are diminished. She says if we leave we'd be more powerful, like mother and father were when they were growing up."

"That's true."

"You would still help us?"

Helen smiled. "Remember what I told you? My closest friends are murderers and thieves. You and your sisters will be a pleasure compared to dealing with them." She held out her hand. "Come on. I would hate to miss my first family dinner."

Katya took a deep breath and put her hand in Helen's. "This doesn't mean I'm caving in."

"Absolutely not," Helen said. She stood and walked with Katya back to the sidewalk.

As they started back toward the apartment, Katya looked at Helen. "Your friends. They are really all bad men?"

"Not all of them. We had fallen out of contact, but I know Nigel reformed before he passed on. And the remaining member of the group has always stood by my side no matter what. He's never been anything less than kind to me." She hesitated and then smiled. "He is a wonderful man. The best of us all, in fact."

"And where is he?"

Helen nodded in the general direction of the Wall. "He's waiting. If I need help escaping, he'll be there for me. Or us, depending on what you and Minna decide."

"For your sake, I hope he is more trustworthy than your other friends."

Helen raised an eyebrow. "We'll see."

#

"So tell me, John. How did you discover this mission was even under way?" James' voice was still strained, but the pain was greatly diminished. John continued to mark the perimeter of the apartment, pausing at each window before continuing on. At the moment he was in the living room, near the kitchen entrance, and James could see his shadow against the wall.

"I've been keeping tabs on you both for the past few decades. Not an easy task considering your quest to keep everything about yourselves secret. Recently I've become concerned at the missions Helen has undertaken. Becoming a prisoner in a gulag to retrieve a bes'goth egg? Going over the Berlin Wall with only the weakest exit strategy in place? It's almost as if the woman has a death wish."

James ignored John's argument, having voiced the same concerns in the past. He apparently didn't know about the collapsed mine in South America. There had been some tense moments during the days it took to dig her out, and he'd thought they were too late when they first saw her. So still, so lifeless... But regardless of that relatively small gap in his knowledge, the amount of what he did know was alarming.

"I can only assume that you learned all of this from someone close to the Sanctuary. Who have you coerced into being your mole, John?"

John appeared in the doorway. "Well, you're supposedly the greatest detective who ever lived. Why don't you--"

"Tara Lough."

John laughed with genuine humor and clapped his hands together. "Well done, James."

"Hardly. It was a simple matter of determining who knew of both missions you commented on, and adding in the fact that no one has intruded on this hostage situation of yours. Ms. Logue volunteered to be my contact while I was in Berlin. Since she hasn't checked in, I can only assume either you killed her to keep her quiet or she knows you're here. What did you promise in exchange for her betrayal?"

"I've done well for myself over the past century. For all its promises of travel and adventure, the Sanctuary does not seem to pay as well as one might expect. Ms. Lough has had enough of the danger and seeks a comfortable retirement in a tropical isle. It was within my power to grant her that retirement."

Helen would be devastated. Apparently Tara's innocent crush had far darker motives.

John's tone suddenly turned dark. "Don't blame the girl. How many of Helen's protégés have left the Sanctuary in body bags? I'm offering her a brighter future than Helen Magnus could ever provide. All I asked in return was a bit of information from time to time. A connection to the woman I loved and who once loved me. Is that so wrong in the grand scheme of things?"

James laughed. "You do not even see the irony of playing the hero to justify your actions to the man you're holding hostage!"

John braced one hand on the headboard and angled his lean body forward, putting his face over James'. "I could have let you remain free. How would that have gone, hm? You would have waited for an opening, taken advantage of my distraction, and you would have attacked. If your first blow wasn't fatal, I would have quickly gained the upper hand. One well-placed punch. One hand reformed inside the delicate mechanism that keeps you alive, and that would have been that. Perhaps only you would have died, perhaps you would have taken me with you. But whatever the outcome, your imprisonment is a kindness to us both, and to Helen. I do not wish to send her to yet another loved one's funeral."

James returned John's stare until the madman retreated. Only then did he release the breath he'd been holding, smelling his old friend's familiar scent lingering in the air.

John walked to the bedroom window and stood at attention, his hands loosely crossed in the small of his back.

"And you fashion yourself as her savior. Do you really believe she will ever see you that way, John? No matter what you do, no matter how many times you darken her door, you will never be the white knight. I've come to terms with the fact that I'll never play that role in her life, either. Open your eyes, man."

John turned his head slightly, offering James a view of his profile backlit by the setting sun. "How sad it must be in your mind. Always breaking things down to the bare minimum, weighing the odds. What a life, to be without optimism or hope. Miracles happen every day, my dear Watson."

"Optimism, miracles... you're delusional."

"The radio." John stepped away from the window and walked back to the living room. "Can you send signals or only receive them?"

James furrowed his brow. "The arrangement is that I would only respond to messages Helen sends. What are you planning?"

"The Wall has peculiar elements, elements that I must investigate if I am to assist in Helen's escape."

John teleported, but he reappeared moments later in the same place. His lips curled in frustration and he stalked out of the bedroom to the front door.

"Blasted interference. Try not to cause too much noise. Sit tight."

John slammed the door when he left. As soon as he was gone from the apartment, James began moving as much as his prison allowed him. If John usurped his communication with Helen, he could lead her straight into a trap. He curled the fingers of his left hand around the metal pipe that circled his wrist. He clenched his teeth, nostrils flaring as he applied his strength to it. He was seconds from giving up for a different tactic when the thin metal brace that connected it to his arm piece snapped.

He sagged against the mattress, catching his breath and smiling at his victory. He only had to get his arm free, and then he could reset the entire device from the controls on his chest. He tested his hand's range of motion, lifting his shoulder to hook his thumb over the next brace. James closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then pressed down once more.

#

Lisbeth came out of the kitchen when she heard the front door open. She looked past Helen and kept a guarded expression when she saw her sister. Katya muttered something in German, and Lisbeth smiled and stepped forward to embrace her. "It's okay, Kat. We're family. You're allowed to yell at family." She kissed Katya's head, smoothed her hair, and looked at Helen. "Thank you. You have brought her home just in time for dinner."

"If there isn't enough to go around--"

"Nonsense." Lisbeth put one arm around Katya's shoulders and slid the other around Helen's waist. "We do not have guests often, but that does not mean we have allowed our manners to atrophy. Minna has set the table, and now you will join us."

Minna had just finished filling the water glasses, and Lisbeth picked one up. She raised it to Helen, who picked up her own glass. "To the woman who risked everything to help strangers. _Prost_!"

Helen accepted the toast and took a drink. Lisbeth served up their dinner; chicken with asparagus, potatoes and Hollandaise sauce. While they ate, the girls told Helen stories of their parents. The father, Josef Winston, was a milliner who owned a little shop not far from the apartment. Helen glanced into the living room and realized why the apartment seemed to be decorated with so many hats. When Josef died of a fever, their mother Elsa was forced to go to work in the factory to make ends meet. As soon as Lisbeth was old enough, she found a job in the bar to add that income to the family coffers.

"And now my income is all we have. I work two jobs now. The bar where you found me, and I am learning the hat-making trade with one of my father's former competitors." She smiled. "It was a friendly rivalry. Vater would have been greatly amused to know I am training to take over for Kurt Muller."

Minna giggled, a musical sound, and she covered it by taking a sip of her water. Helen looked at her, and Minna nodded across the table. "Katya has a crush on Kurt Muller's son."

Katya slapped the table and glared at her older sister.

"Ah." Helen leaned forward and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Another layer of the mystery to why you wish to stay has become unraveled."

Katya seemed to shrink in on herself. "I just think he is nice."

Lisbeth was trying not to smile. "Wilhelmina is just jealous she doesn't have a boyfriend yet. Sit up straight, Kat. Minna, no more teasing your sister. It's not nice."

"Yes, Lees."

Helen met Lisbeth's gaze over the table and they smiled as the two girls went back to their meal. Katya finished first and politely asked to be excused, which Lisbeth granted her with a nod. Minna left soon after, chasing Katya into their shared bedroom. Lisbeth examined the table and gestured at the mess with her hands.

"Perhaps they are Abnormals due to their keen ability to get out of doing the dishes."

Helen laughed. "I'll lend a hand. It's the least I can do."

They gathered the plates and glasses and carried them to the sink. Lisbeth ran the water and began soaking the dishes while Helen took a towel from the sink. Lisbeth smiled at her. "It is good to have another voice of authority in the house. After mother died, I was forced to grow up very quickly. The girls... I love them. But they can be a handful. Minna helps when she can, but she's still very immature for her age."

"They're lucky to have you."

Lisbeth shrugged as she began to wash a plate. She looked weary. "I do what I can. But what can I offer them here? A life of constant working, another small apartment like this? If Katya does marry Kurt's son, then she will start a family of her own. And that would be wonderful, if it didn't happen behind that blasted Wall." She watched the soapy water run down the face of her plate. "I am not unlike them. I've spent my entire life here as well. I've only known East Berlin. The world ends..." She pointed out the window. "At the Wall. I want to go beyond it, but more, I want to take my sisters beyond it. It's what our parents would have wanted for them."

Helen took the plate from Lisbeth and began drying it. "I'll do everything in my power to see that it happens. Barring that, I'll make sure they have a grasp on their abilities by the time I leave."

"I hope you do not have to stay long. I am sure you have a life of your own that you will want to be getting back to. Friends. Loved ones."

Helen put the plate in the plastic drying rack and rested her hands on the edge of the sink. "You might be surprised. I have lived for a long time, Lisbeth, and I've seldom been alone. But sometimes all that a long life earns you is... a lot of practice at writing eulogies."

Lisbeth put her hand on top of Helen's and laced their fingers together. Helen looked down and then looked into Lisbeth's eyes. They were brighter blue than they had been in the tavern. Her hair was down, several strands hanging down in front of her face. She was still wearing her work outfit, but the top two buttons were undone to reveal the soft, pale skin of her upper chest. Lisbeth slipped her hand free from Helen's and looked into the sink.

"For tonight, you will take my bed and I shall sleep on the floor."

"Oh, that's not necessary. I can sleep on the couch."

"The couch is my bed. It folds out. It's no problem."

Helen looked into the living room. There was space for the couch to be pulled out into a bed, but it wouldn't leave much room on the floor. "Don't be ridiculous. We're both adults; we can share the sofa. It's okay, I don't steal the blankets."

Lisbeth laughed. She looked as if she wanted to argue further, but instead she nodded and went back to washing. "That would be fine, then. So long as you don't mind."

"Not at all." Helen took the second plate from Lisbeth and dried it, trying to get that awkward staring moment out of her mind. After they finished the dishes, Lisbeth went into the bathroom to change from her work clothes to pajamas. Helen took the time to figure out the couch, finishing with it just as Lisbeth returned. She wore a pink top and matching pants, her hair moist from the quick bath she had taken.

"Would you like to take a bath?"

Helen shook her head. "I'm so exhausted I would probably just fall asleep in it if I tried." She carried her bag into the bathroom and stripped, changing into the nightgown she'd brought along. She had enough clothes for three days; anything beyond that would require laundry or shopping. The idea of staying long enough to require such measures was disheartening. She could only hope the girls would listen to reason and she could contact James for an emergency retrieval.

She washed up in the sink before returning to the living room. Lisbeth was standing at the door of her sisters' bedroom, speaking quietly to them in German. Helen slipped into the bed, and Lisbeth said, "Ich wünsche dir eine gute nacht," before she closed the door. She turned off the living room light and climbed into bed beside Helen.

It had been a long time since Helen had shared a bed with a woman. James was her last lover, and there had only been a handful of times during their relationship when she had taken advantage of their open policy on lovers. She had forgotten the simple joy of feeling another woman's leg sliding next to hers, the weight of another slender body on the mattress. Her instinct was to turn toward her partner, but she stayed flat on her back with the pillow pressed against the corner formed by the back and arm of the couch.

Lisbeth adjusted the blankets around her hips and then looked at Helen. "Are you comfortable?"

"Yes."

"Then good night, Helen." She leaned in to kiss Helen's cheek, but Helen inadvertently turned her head at the last moment. Lisbeth's lips met hers in a brief, unexpected kiss. Lisbeth parted her lips slightly and closed them around Helen's bottom lip before she pulled back. She ducked her head in embarrassment, tucked her hair behind her ears, and then looked up at Helen again. "Thank you for coming to help us."

"You don't have to keep saying that, you know."

"It hardly seems sufficient for what you have done for us. I've spent so long with no one I can rely on. Having you here... having you--" She swallowed hard and looked away.

Helen touched Lisbeth's cheek, turned her head, and kissed her. Lisbeth's entire body tensed, and then relaxed. Helen lowered her to the mattress, her eyes open to see Lisbeth's hair fan out on the pillow behind her. Lisbeth was breathing hard as Helen teased her lips with the tip of her tongue, and then she withdrew. Lisbeth had one hand on Helen's cheek, and Helen turned her head to kiss her inner wrist. "Go to sleep. You've done enough. You've earned your rest."

Helen lay beside her, and Lisbeth closed the distance between them. She put her arms around Helen, her head on Helen's chest, and Helen returned the embrace. She stroked Lisbeth's back and listened as her breathing slowed. Everything she had done, all the trials yet to come before she could relax and consider herself safe, it was all worth it if she had granted this poor girl one night of freedom from her responsibilities.

She kissed the top of Lisbeth's head and settled back against the pillow so she could get some sleep as well. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

#

James face was shining with sweat by the time he rose from the bed. The frame that surrounded his left arm lay in pieces on the mattress, and pain radiated through the muscle and bone whenever he was forced to move it. A small price to pay for freedom. If he couldn't get it fixed before the damage became permanent, then he would simply learn to operate with one hand. Or perhaps he could fashion some sort of replacement.

 _Focus._ The pain had started to make him delirious. His hand was scraped and bloody from his work. John had bastardized the device, and he had only a limited range of motion even after his reset. He moved like the aged man he was, the intricate servos that kept him alive whirring noisily as he clomped into the living room. John had left the standing lamp on, and the room seemed cozy and threatening at the same time. There were too many shadows, and too many places for dark things to hide.

He didn't need to get far; his radio was on the desk by the front door. All he had to do was send a message to Helen. Danger, abort. He would send a Morse code signal of Druitt's name if he could focus enough to think of how to spell. Helen had to know she couldn't trust messages from him anymore. He was halfway across the living room when the door opened and John stepped inside.

James cried out in pain and frustration, John's expression darkening as he took in the situation. He was carrying a thick leather bound book which he dropped on the desk as he casually closed the apartment door behind him. "Well," he said without turning. "I'm sure Helen would be touched by your dedication."

He spun so suddenly that James didn't have time to react even if he'd been capable. The cudgel had dropped from John's sleeve into his cupped palm, and he swung it like an extension of his arm. James collapsed as the club cracked the patella of his frame, a second blow breaking the struts that connected it to his waist. John swung from the other side, cracking the frame's right leg as well. He hit the ground and John dropped the cudgel. He hooked his hands under James' arms and hefted him back to the armchair in the corner. He tossed him down and then towered over him.

"I am trying to help you, so stop being a child." His voice was soothing like a schoolteacher with only James' best interest at heart. His eyes were calm, but James could see the storm lurking under the façade. They were a shark's eyes, gauging weakness and waiting for their opening. "My contact at the Sanctuary proved most helpful in finding information about the Wall. It seems you and I have encountered this stumbling block before. Hopefully this book from Eva Marlene's library will have the answer I seek. So you be a good boy, be quiet and sit... still."

"Helen won't hesitate to put a bullet in your head the moment she sees you."

"We shall see. And if that means she's safe and sound, then perhaps I will even welcome it." He patted James' cheek. "Sorry about your legs, James, but I simply can't have you interfering. Well-meaning though you might be, I cannot risk you and Helen ignoring an escape route simply because it comes from me."

James watched as John went back to the desk. He opened the book and bent forward to read. It was obvious that he saw James as a piece of furniture now, as threatening as the lamp burning in the corner. James reluctantly had to admit that it wasn't far from the truth. The pain was starting to radiate from his legs now, a constant ache that reached to the middle of his back and made him cringe in his seat. His left arm was tucked uselessly against his side.

The metallic exoskeleton was both a blessing and a curse. In 1887, when Helen revealed she had injected John with her own blood as a way to extend his life, James and Nigel had both been intrigued. If their gifts could be shared with a simple infusion, it could be groundbreaking. Through rigorous experimentation, they discovered that longevity had indeed been transferred to Helen's fiancé.

Their happiness had lasted less than a year before the horrible truth of John's madness came to light. The Source blood had made John a monster, and Helen's made him immortal.

As the years marched on, James couldn't help but feel the rest of the group marching on without him. He turned fifty, he found gray hairs in his facial hair - and elsewhere - while Helen and Nikola remained absolutely unchanged. Even Nigel had discovered a fountain of youth of his own. His invisibility prevented exposure to the sun and the elements, protected him from wrinkles and even gray hairs. It was as if vanishing from sight put a hold on the entire aging process. He was a man of sixty who still looked as if he was thirty-five, while James was becoming more "distinguished" with every passing day.

Helen offered him the same deal she gave John, but James refused. His mind rebelled at the thought of living for a hundred years, or two hundred. Immortality was a curse that took a long time to reveal its true disadvantages. So he recruited Nikola and, together, they created a device that would restore his body to its former vitality. Helen had assisted and, when they were finished, he looked in the mirror and saw himself as he'd looked at Oxford.

But of course the joke was on him. Man wasn't meant to live past his time, and the exoskeleton was a prison long before John got his hands on it. It started with a reduced presence on missions because the risk of damage was too great. Then his courtship of Helen finally advanced to the physical stages and he discovered just how little of their bodies could touch. He often laid on his stomach with Helen on top of him simply so he could feel the warmth of her skin on his.

And now this, a broken marionette forced to watch as a psychotic killer laid in wait like a spider in its web. John claimed he had only Helen's best interests at heart, but Helen would never accept that. She would attack without waiting for provocation, and John would retaliate. Blood would be shed, and John had the upper hand.

"Let me help."

John didn't turn, but his hand rested on the corner of the book before turning the page.

"If you truly want to get Helen back safely, then our goals are not mutually exclusive."

John sighed. "Which are you in this fable, James? The scorpion or the frog? I believe you will help me so long as it remains in your interest. But the moment my guard is down, you'll strike. Better for both of us to die than for me to live, yes? Thank you, but no. I believe I am on my own in this mission."

James growled in frustration and pounded his head against the back of the chair. He watched helplessly as John perused the book for a way to save Helen, praying that she wouldn't simply exchange the prison of the Berlin Wall for one of John's making.


	4. Chapter 4

Helen woke before Lisbeth, before the sun was fully up. The apartment was silent and still, and she took a moment to enjoy the peace. Lisbeth was heavy on her, but it was a good weight. It was a weight Helen had missed. She closed her eyes and breathed Lisbeth's scent, her fingers lightly laced on Lisbeth's hip to keep her from rolling away. They had slept like that the entire night. Helen had memories of half-waking to feel Lisbeth's soft breath on her neck.

She eventually couldn't justify lying in bed any longer and carefully extricated herself from the other woman's arms. She put on a robe, cinching it as she moved quietly into the kitchen and found the pantry. As Lisbeth said, there was plenty of food available, but Helen had to wonder just how long it would last. She decided on oatmeal and for the four of them, sacrificing one of the bananas she had brought with her to add fruit to the mixture. Bananas were incredibly rare, but she felt the girls deserved it. When it was ready, she returned to the living room to find Lisbeth just sitting up and blinking tiredly at the empty spot next to her. She looked up, and Helen smiled.

"Guten morgen. I made breakfast if you're hungry."

"No one has made me breakfast in a very long time. Danke." She got out of bed and joined Helen in the kitchen to see what Helen had made. She eyed the bowls and her eyes widened. "Bananas?"

Helen handed her a slice and Lisbeth savored it like a delicacy. "Mm."

They ate together in the kitchen as the day brightened outside the window. The cloud cover still meant she didn't actually see the sunrise, but dark brown and gray shifted to a livelier gray-white to signal the day's beginning. Lisbeth ate around the banana slices at first, saving them for the end of the meal. Helen asked about the family's schedule.

"Minna and Katya have to be at school by eight, and then I work at Muller's from nine until three. I pick up the girls at school and we come home together, and we sometimes have a snack or nap before I go to work at the tavern at four."

"Busy day."

Lisbeth shrugged. "We do what we must in order to survive."

"And when do you find time for yourself?"

Lisbeth gestured at the breakfast table. "Now, and the time between dropping them off at school and when I leave for work. I sometimes have close to two hours on my own."

Helen thought that sounded familiar. "Then I apologize for intruding on one of those hours. I'd like to help the girls a bit before they leave for school today, and again in the afternoon while you're at work."

"Of course. What do you require from me?"

"I need a place, preferable large and open, where we can work without being disturbed. It will have to be as far from the Wall as possible, if it truly is affecting your abilities."

Lisbeth lowered her eyes. "I know of a place. I can take you there after breakfast."

Minna had come out of her room while Lisbeth was speaking. Her face looked large and empty without her glasses, and her hair was a mess. "Who made oatmeal?"

"Helen. Say thank you."

"Danke, Helen."

Lisbeth looked toward the bedroom. "Where is Katya?"

Minna made herself a bowl and sat down next to Helen. "Sleeping."

Lisbeth muttered under her breath as she pushed her chair back. "Excuse me. Katherine!"

Minna smiled apologetically at Helen and waited until Lisbeth was gone before she spoke. "It's like this almost every morning. If Lisbeth didn't wake her, Kat would sleep until the end of the world. Or until the Wall fell. She would wake up and rub her eyes and see all the way to France."

Helen laughed. "Well, she's a teenager. Sleeping is part of the bargain."

"I am a teenager, too. You don't see me sleeping away until all hours. And Lees..." She looked over her shoulder to make sure her sister wasn't coming back. "Sometimes I don't think Lisbeth sleeps at all. I don't know when she would find the time. And she was a teenager when mama died."

"She does that so Katya is able to sleep in. Maybe some day Katya will realize that and thank her for everything she gave up."

Minna nodded. "I hope so."

Katya came out of her room muttering in German, and Lisbeth followed. She pointed at the bathroom, said something else, and ignored Katya's eye-rolling as she stormed in the bathroom. Lisbeth pushed her hair out of her face as she crossed back to the dining room table. "At least one of you knows how to work the alarm."

Minna rose and unexpectedly embraced Lisbeth. She hugged her tightly, kissed her cheek, and then said, "Thank you for everything you've done for me and Kat. Even if we act like we don't appreciate you, we do."

"Wilhelmina, what has gotten--" She looked at Helen and then brushed her sister's hair. "Are you certain you cannot stay forever?"

Helen grinned.

"Eat your breakfast, Minna, and hopefully Katya will be done in the bathroom when you finish. We must leave early today because Helen would like to begin your training as soon as possible."

Minna pulled back from the hug and looked at Helen. "Training? For our..." She held up her hand, wiggling her fingers.

"Yes. Is that all right?"

"It will be wonderful! Thank you!"

Lisbeth gestured at the bowl and rubbed Minna's shoulder. "For now, eat. I have a feeling you will need your strength for what Helen has in store."

#

Those they had worked with in the past assumed some of the Five suffered unique side effects from their exposure to the Source blood; insomnia, and a taste for wine were the most prevalent. But Helen had burned the midnight oil long before she even acquired the Source blood, and the rest of them were no different. Nikola, James and John were often the last people left in the library at night, and the first through its doors in the morning. Their acquaintance was built on the fact they often crossed paths in the wee small hours in pursuit of some book deep in the shelves of the Bodleian.

James eventually passed out from the pain he was in, but he woke when John slammed the book shut. It was dawn, and the Wall went from a blank silhouette in the darkness to a vivid reminder of its purpose: it was keeping them out and Helen in. From his seat, James saw the colorful graffiti that decorated this side of the wall, but Helen would see only an unbroken expanse of gray, barbed wire, and assault weapons.

John pushed the book away and stalked to the window, muttering under his breath. He looked toward the Wall with his fists on his hips, the frustration emanating from his body. James pushed himself up in his seat with a grunt, using his trembling left arm.

"Need another set of eyes, John?"

"I'm in no mood, so remain silent."

James sighed and let his head drop. He was too weak to hold it up.

"What does she hope to gain from these ridiculous endeavors?"

"I don't expect you to understand her motivations. Abnormals are in danger; that is the only thing she considered while making her decision. It was within her power to help them--"

"No one could possibly have expected her to do this on her own." John spun to face him. "Helen is acting reckless, even by her own standards. And you are always right beside her, goading her and enabling her--"

"I am there to protect her." James leaned forward as far as the frozen frame allowed. "You know how I feel about her. How I have felt about her since Oxford, when she chose you over me. Do you think it's easy for me to watch her risk life and limb? She does it for the same reason I refused the Source blood injection she so erroneously gave you. Immortality is a curse. Short life spans are a blessing." He sank back against the chair and looked toward the window. "She's losing everything. Nigel is gone. Nikola might as well be..."

John laughed. "I never thought I would see the day when Helen Magnus mourned the absence of Nikola Tesla."

James smiled at the way Helen had explained it to him. "One afternoon in her office at the Sanctuary, Helen saw a spider on the wall. It was near the door, not moving, just sitting patiently. She checked it occasionally, monitoring its progress toward the light switch or up to the ceiling. And then one time she looked up and it was gone. Just... gone. She searched the wall, but eventually she asked her manservant to find the arachnid and take it outside.

"She was perfectly fine with the spider's presence so long as she knew where it was. Once it left her sight, it could have been anywhere. That is how Helen feels about Nikola's vanishing. If he can be anywhere, then it feels as if he is _everywhere_." He tilted his head to one side. "It's sort of how she feels about you, dear boy."

John began to pace. "If I do not find a way to successfully extricate Helen from her current predicament, we will have only two options. One, I can forge papers and go in myself, or Helen can attempt to leave on her own. I'm willing to wager the Soviet guards have a fair idea of who Helen Magnus is. I doubt she would make it past the gate."

"I offered you my assistance and you refused."

"It's not your assistance I require. Should my search continue to prove fruitless, I will have no choice but to use Ms. Logue to utilize the Sanctuary's resources to effect a rescue."

James was stunned. "You're mad. You're talking about sending an assault force into East Germany to save one woman?"

"She is worth--"

"She would not want us to start a third World War simply because you cannot let her go!"

John's lips only twitched in response. "Anything. She is worth anything." He walked to the table and flipped the book open again. James sagged back against the chair and closed his eyes. If John and his conspirator tried to usurp the Sanctuary's forces, Eva Marlene would figure out what was going on and put a stop to it. He just hoped that John wouldn't foresee her as a problem and remove her from the equation.

#

Helen once again dressed as incognito as possible, borrowing a white blouse and a floral skirt that swept around her calves when she moved. Lisbeth had helped her braid her hair before they left to help her blend in with the other women they were most likely to encounter on the street. Helen kept her head down as they drove through the city to avoid being noticed by any soldiers.

The windows of Josef Winston's hat shop, Du Brauchst Einen Hut, had been boarded up long ago, and the building had a distinct aura of abandonment. Lisbeth parked the Trabi in the alley and let them in through a basement access door. The power had long ago been disconnected, so they were forced to use an old lantern for light. The headless models along the wall became shadowy spectators in the weak light, remnants that hadn't been removed when Elsa was forced to take the job at the factory. The basement was ten feet by twenty feet, and there was more than enough empty room for what Helen had in mind.

First, she asked the girls to demonstrate what they were able to do. After slapping herself several times in the upper arm, Lisbeth was able to make her right hand glow like a dim light bulb. Traveling arcs of energy moved between her fingers like a Jacob's ladder, the tips of her fingers glowing with St. Elmo's fire. Once the energy faded, Helen asked Minna and Katya to do that same. Katya managed to produce a weaker glow, but Minna's energy shot straight up toward the ceiling.

Helen put out the ensuing smolder with a fire extinguisher. "Okay. Not a bad start. It's certainly promising. Minna, next time, I want you to envision the energy where it enters your body. Imagine it forming a ball so that you can move it. Let it travel through your body, down your arm, and to your palm. Hold it there and, when you're ready, release it. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"I can try." Minna took a deep breath. "Will you hit me?"

Helen hesitated. "I don't..."

Katya reached out and slapped her. Lisbeth and Helen both shouted at her, but Minna was smiling. "Thanks, Kat." She hunched her shoulders and began panting, holding her right hand out in front of her. She had her eyes closed. A second later, her hand began to glow. Energy wrapped around the first two fingers, growing brighter and brighter the longer she held it. "Am I doing it?"

"You're doing wonderfully, Minna!" Lisbeth said.

Helen kept her voice steady. "Minna, listen to me. I want you to let it fade. Let it go away just a little at a time, like air leaking slowly from a balloon. Don't let the balloon pop. Just let it slowly deflate." The energy faded. "Good girl. How did that feel?"

Minna opened her eyes and smiled. "It felt great. Did I really do it?"

"You did," Katya said.

Lisbeth was still glaring at Katya for the slap, but she put her arm around Minna and hugged her. "You were wonderful. But Kat, no more hitting without warning."

"Yes, Lees."

With Helen's help, Katya and Minna learned how to focus the energy they channeled. Katya was able to use hers as a light source, and Minna lit a candle from across the room. Lisbeth kept a close eye on the time and declared it was time for school after half an hour. Minna and Katya both seemed tired, but exhilarated by the experience. As they walked to the car, Minna asked when they would be able to train again.

"After school, if that's all right with Lisbeth."

Lisbeth nodded. "Anything to keep them out of trouble while I am at work. But homework comes first."

"I'll make sure of it," Helen promised. The girls got into the backseat, letting Helen sit in the front with Lisbeth. The drive to the school was mostly silent, and Helen took the time to note the people they passed. It wasn't so different from what she'd seen in West Berlin, except for the soldiers. The closer they got to the school, the easier it was to see the Wall between buildings. Neighborhoods had been chopped in half, streets suddenly came to dead ends. Helen could only imagine what it was like during the early days; to wake up and suddenly be cut off so completely? She would have been livid.

Lisbeth dropped off Minna and Katya at the school with a warning not to use their powers to set off any fire alarms. They promised to be good, and Lisbeth hugged them both goodbye. She waited until they were safely in the building, and a woman waved to her as she approached the driver's side of their car. Lisbeth turned to Helen so the woman wouldn't see her speak.

"This is Greta. She's a teacher here." She turned and smiled. "Good morning."

"Hello, Ms. Winston. I just wanted to make sure you heard there was an alert. Two soldiers were killed at the Oranienburger station."

Lisbeth feigned shock. "That's awful! Who would do such a thing?"

"The Soviets believe someone tried to escape through the tunnels. They are examining the tunnel and the train now, but I think anyone who tried would have been killed. Either trying to jump the train, or when the train came down the tunnel behind them." She shrugged. "Whatever happened, the soldiers are very jumpy today. Be on your guard."

"I will. Danke, Greta."

She nodded, and then leaned down to look at Helen through the windscreen. Helen returned the teacher's wave and smiled until she was back in the building. Lisbeth got into the car and whispered, "Oranienburger station, it was you?"

"Afraid so."

"Better them than you. We will have to be careful. If someone catches us sneaking into the shop, they may ask questions."

"I understand. If I've made life more difficult for you and your sisters--"

Lisbeth laughed. "More difficult? There is no such thing in this country, Helen. No such thing at all." She started the engine and pulled away from the school. The soldiers on the street were more menacing now, and it felt as if they were making a mental note of the vehicle as it passed them. Helen put aside her paranoia until they reached the apartment.

Lisbeth shut the apartment door and leaned against it, sighing heavily. "And now I have seventy-five minutes to myself before I have to leave for work. Should I use it for laundry, for cleaning, or just for sitting in the quiet?"

"There will be time for laundry and cleaning later. For now, you have a guest. You should be my hostess."

Lisbeth smiled. "Of course, how foolish of me. White wine or red?"

"Whichever one is the most plentiful. I'm not choosy so long as it goes well with your appetizers."

Lisbeth went into the kitchen and came back with two small bottles of apple juice and some crackers. Helen laughed. "Perfect."

They sat on the edge of the bed and shared their snack. Lisbeth chewed her crackers carefully, her mind obviously stuck on something. Finally she wet her lips with a sip of her juice and looked at Helen. "What would it be like? If we agreed to come with you?"

"That all depends. You would be allowed to remain in the Sanctuary, if you wish. There are a few around the world for you to choose from. There's one here in Berlin if you want to remain close to your roots."

"Which one do you live in?"

"It's a place in America called Old City. I moved there only recently... well, generally speaking. It's grown on me in a way I never would have expected."

Lisbeth nodded in consideration.

"You'd be welcome to live there, if you like, but I think you would rather live on your own. I could help make that possible. Find you a place to work, give you a means of supporting yourself. And if you require it, I could give you and your sisters further training in the use of your powers."

"So if we go with you, there's a chance we could be spending a lot of time together in the future."

"It's certainly possible. But if you remain here, I will do everything in my power to assure you're not alone." She put her hand on top of Lisbeth's. "I don't offer my support lightly, and once the offer has been extended, I can be a bitch to get rid of."

Lisbeth sighed. "It would be very nice to have someone I could rely on."

"You've done more than anyone could have asked of you. You're an extraordinary woman. Brave, strong, beautiful." Lisbeth looked up and met Helen's eyes. "Asking for help doesn't compromise any of that."

"Will you help me, Helen?"

"Of course."

Neither woman was sure which of them instigated the kiss. Their first kiss the night before seemed to be the only invitation they required, and Helen suddenly found herself leaning in as Lisbeth's hand came to rest on her cheek. She kept the kiss tender and slow, well aware of how tense Lisbeth was. When they parted, Helen pressed their cheeks together and let Lisbeth's thumb brush her cheek over and over.

"Are you okay?" Helen whispered.

"I've done that once before. Exactly once." She swallowed.

Helen smiled. "Would you like to do it again?"

Lisbeth kissed her instead of answering. Helen remained passive, allowing Lisbeth to dictate the length of the kiss. When Helen felt a slight pressure from Lisbeth's tongue, she responded with her own. Lisbeth moaned and shifted her weight, rolling her body toward Helen before lifting a leg to straddle her. Helen pulled Lisbeth onto her lap and draped her arms over her thighs, gently laying her hands on Lisbeth's waist under the hem of her shirt.

Their kisses became desperate as Lisbeth moved her hand to the top button of Helen's blouse. When the first one came undone, the others followed in a frenzied attack. She pushed the material apart like a musician parting the curtains on stage, dropping her palms to skim across Helen's upper chest as the blouse fell down her arms. She hooked her fingers under Helen's bra straps and closed her eyes as she kissed Helen's top and bottom lip before she pulled back and looked down at Helen's body.

Helen moved her hands higher and stroked the bare skin above the waistband of Lisbeth's slacks. She could feel her trembling and lightly kissed her forehead. "It's okay if you want to take it slow."

The words seemed to break the spell. Lisbeth shook her head and placed her hands on Helen's breasts. "No, no." She squeezed, lifted her head, and kissed Helen again.

They fell onto the bed, and Lisbeth rolled to the side. She pulled Helen on top of her and pushed her fingers into the cups of Helen's brassiere. Helen moaned as her nipples were teased, her mouth opening to allow Lisbeth's tongue inside again. She guided Lisbeth's arms around her and felt Lisbeth's fingers on the catch of her bra. After a moment's hesitation, Lisbeth undid the clasp and pulled it away.

The buttons of Lisbeth's blouse were large and easy to manipulate, and Helen got them undone with one hand. Lisbeth sat up to pull the blouse off, pressing her body tight against Helen's before she dropped again. Helen slid down her body, kissing her chest as Lisbeth toyed with her hair and made quiet, needy sounds of pleasure. Helen kissed both of her breasts before opening her bra, pulling it aside and teasing the pale nipple with her tongue.

She kissed along the curve of Lisbeth's breast, running her hands over the smooth skin of her stomach and sides. Helen turned her head to press her cheek against Lisbeth's chest, and closed her eyes to feel the drum of her heart. Lisbeth continued stroking Helen's hair, whispering her name like a mantra until Helen sat up and kissed her again.

Helen pushed her hand between them, cupping Lisbeth and eliciting a cry of surprise and pleasure from her. Helen watched Lisbeth's face as she undid the pants, pushing them down her hips before slipping her hand under Lisbeth's underwear. Lisbeth arched her back and pressed down against Helen's hand, her breath coming in short, harsh gasps.

"Relax," Helen whispered. She kissed Lisbeth's cheek and chin, waiting until she had calmed before she extended two fingers. She stroked, teased, and parted Lisbeth's folds, paying attention to the sounds Lisbeth was making to set her rhythm. Lisbeth kicked her legs until her pants were down, and then she used her feet to pull them off completely. She bent her knee and hooked her leg over Helen's hip, lifting her lower body to give Helen more room to move.

Helen kissed Lisbeth gently, a kiss that would have been chaste under any other circumstances. Lisbeth seemed to melt upwards, her body pressing against Helen as she spread her legs wider. "Please," she said against Helen's mouth, and Helen kissed her trembling bottom lip as she pressed two fingers inside. "Helen, yes." Lisbeth ran her hands down Helen's naked back, raking it with her fingers before she pushed under the waistband of Helen's skirt.

Helen looked up and met Lisbeth's eyes, smiling reassuringly as her. Lisbeth tried to return the smile, but it was shattered by a deep groan and she dropped her head to the pillow. "How does that feel?" Helen asked softly.

"Too good. I can't take it."

"It's not something to be endured," Helen said. She bowed down and kissed Lisbeth's breasts. "Just relax and let it happen. Let me make you--"

Lisbeth suddenly arched her back and pressed her body down against Helen. "There, there," she gasped. "Please don't stop."

Helen shushed her, whispered her name against the curve of her throat, and didn't withdraw until Lisbeth nuzzled her face against Helen's cheek and began to lazily stroke Helen's back with slow passes of her hands. Helen shuddered at the feather-light touches, lifting her head to kiss Lisbeth again. Helen shifted her weight to lie beside Lisbeth on the mattress, and Lisbeth turned to face her. She opened her eyes, looking utterly sated and relaxed, and her lips curled into a Cheshire cat smile. She bit her bottom lip and ducked her head, and Helen drew it to her chest and embraced her.

"My heart is racing," Lisbeth whispered, as if afraid to let anyone else hear her.

Helen chuckled and hugged her tighter. "That's not unusual, under the circumstances."

Lisbeth sniffled and kissed Helen's breast. She licked the curve, and Helen closed her eyes and arched forward to entice her to continue. Lisbeth moved hesitantly, as if she expected an admonishment after everything she did. She closed her lips around a nipple and then let it go, waiting a second before sweeping it with the flat of her tongue. "Yes, Lees," Helen said. "You can do whatever you wish with me..."

"Honestly?"

"Yes, my dear." She chuckled and lifted Lisbeth's face to kiss her.

Lisbeth pressed her body against Helen's, eager now, and reached down. She undid the top button of Helen's skirt and then looked down. She blushed and said, "I wish you weren't wearing my mother's skirt."

Helen laughed. "Then take it off of me."

Lisbeth swallowed hard, let out a breath, and undid the last two buttons. The material sagged around Helen's waist and Lisbeth pushed it down. Helen shuddered as the lightweight material brushed her thighs, bending her knees to pull her feet free from the tangle of fabric. Lisbeth sat up, kneeling on the bed next to Helen. She ran her hands over Helen's bare legs, bent to kiss her stomach and the concave arch of her side.

Helen closed her eyes, letting Lisbeth explore her body. She felt like an instrument with a talented novice testing the waters before playing. Lisbeth stroked Helen's inner thigh with one hand, the other caressing one breast before moving lower. Lisbeth bent down, her legs crossed underneath her, and kissed Helen's stomach and hip.

Helen parted her legs in anticipation, her hand lightly resting in Lisbeth's hair. Lisbeth was tentative when she kissed Helen's pubic hair, withdrawing quickly only to return and linger. She breathed in deeply, then blew across it when she exhaled, and Helen tensed.

"I'm sorry--"

"No, no, no... it's good. It's good." She curled a strand of dark blonde hair around her finger and watched through half-lidded eyes as Lisbeth moved lower. Her eyes were wide as she looked up for Helen's permission. Helen nodded once, and Lisbeth kissed her between the legs. Helen sucked in a breath through her teeth, her entire body tensing. "God, yes, Lisbeth..."

Lisbeth wasn't the most adept lover Helen had ever had, but given her lack of experience and Helen's decade-long dry spell, she wasn't about to complain. She trembled as Lisbeth explored her with lips and tongue, and she stroked Lisbeth's naked back with her fingers and the back of her hand. Her toes curled in the sheets and she lifted her hips to meet Lisbeth's tongue.

When she felt her climax building, Helen moved her hand back to Lisbeth's hair and softly, gently, instructed her. Lisbeth was an eager student, following Helen's instructions to the letter. Her tongue teased the hood back from Helen's clit and she sucked it gently, crossing her fingers inside of Helen. Finally, Helen dropped back and pressed her body against Lisbeth's seeking fingers and soft lips. She whispered, "Stop, Lisbeth... stop, stop..."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, my dear. Come..." She pulled Lisbeth up and they kissed as Lisbeth pressed her body against Helen's. She traced Helen's lips with her tongue and cupped her face. She brushed Helen's lips with her hands and stared into her eyes.

"I can't believe I did that. I can't believe I finally..." She choked on the last word, turning her head away before hiding her face against Helen's shoulder. Helen held her, whispered assurances in her ear, letting her cry. "I'm happy. I'm happy. I don't know why I'm--"

"Sh. It's perfectly natural."

She held Lisbeth until the tears dried, and then began kissing her neck. Lisbeth moaned and sat up, bracing her arms on either side of Helen's head. "I want to do that again. But I should probably bathe before I leave for work." She looked down at their sweaty bodies, sniffed, and wrinkled her nose. "If I show up to work like this, Mr. Muller will know something is up. I wish I had time to do both."

Helen smiled. "Who says you don't? Sharing a bath can be one of the most wonderful experiences in a relationship." She kissed Lisbeth's forearm and put her arm around the girl's waist. Lisbeth wrapped her legs around Helen's waist and laughed joyously as she was lifted off the bed.


	5. Chapter 5

"Why hasn't she contacted you since yesterday?"

James sighed. "I imagine it's quite time-consuming to find one person in all of Berlin."

"Don't be coy with me, James. I learned everything about this mission from Ms. Logue. Helen knew precisely where to find the Winston sisters. So why has she neglected to report in today?"

"You remember being in the field, John. The rare times you joined us after your madness set in, that is." He adjusted his weight so he was sitting up straighter. "Helen is hardly the most trustworthy at checking in. She'll send a message at the beginning of a mission and then she'll send a second when everything is over. 'Oh, sorry, everything was a bit hectic for a while.'"

John laughed. "Drove Churchill absolutely insane."

James remembered standing in the prime minister's office with Helen and Nigel, their clothes still caked with dried mud from France, struggling to keep a straight face as they were admonished for their silence for the past three weeks. Countless times, James had suggested using the autotype to send an update, but every time he was rebuffed by Helen. "We can keep walking, or we can stop and get caught by the next Gestapo patrol that wanders this way. I'd rather not take the chance, thank you."

Churchill had, of course, thanked them for their service and sent them away. Helen had only allowed herself laughter once they were alone, but the laughter faded when they finally took off the clothes and adjourned to the shower. He closed his eyes, his mind forcing him to relive the feel of Helen's hand, wet and covered with soap, gripping him as he leaned against the tile wall of the shower.

"Ah, there we are."

James was rescued from his reverie by John's voice. John had been standing near the door, observing, and he smiled.

"All reminiscing of Helen Magnus ends the same way doesn't it? Thrills and enchantment, danger and fun... and then the heartbreak. The knowledge that you're no longer the one she calls lover. Tell me, how long were you together?"

"That's none of your business."

"Seeing as she was my fiancée while you carried your torch, I would say it's entirely my business. But very well, let me see if I can deduce it on my own. You and Helen worked together at the Sanctuary for nearly thirty years. During the Worth debacle, you were definitely closer than you'd been at Oxford. But had you bedded her at that point? When the five of us were reunited to hunt down the dastardly Jekyll and Hyde, were you going home to her? No. I think not.

"No, that was during Helen's experimental phase, wasn't it? Who was her first female lover? Katharine Wright, wasn't it? Sister to those infernal flying men." He chuckled at James' obvious discomfort. "Oh, come now. Surely _you_ have no qualms about homosexuality, even if just as a diversion. Considering what we did--"

"That was different."

"Because there was a woman between us? Because it was Helen's hand drawing us together? If you recall she didn't always instigate our little trysts." He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "So Helen and her bike shop paramour didn't last very long. Who was next? Was it Dorothy?"

"Nineteen thirty-nine," James said, revealing the truth only to stop John's infernal game. "Helen came to me distraught. I comforted her and we spent the night in the same bed. When we woke in the morning, she gave me a kiss as thanks. It... lingered, and became something more. Are you satisfied?"

"Ah, her eighty-ninth year. So I suppose I was the great love of her first lifetime, and perhaps you were the love of her second." He grinned. "Perhaps Nikola would come back if he knew the circumstances. I think he has a good chance of sharing the third life of Helen Magnus, don't you agree?"

"Helen would never be with Nikola. He's--"

"A monster? And how long after she suspected my true nature did she continue to share my bed? How many times did she mount me, knowing in her heart what I was capable of? Being a monster is not a disqualifying trait for our dear Helen." He looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen and then walked away. His voice echoed off the walls of the mostly empty apartment. "I find it impossible to believe you neglected to stock a single bottle of wine."

"In the cabinet over the sink." He looked down at his left arm. He flexed his fingers and felt the pain radiating up through his body. The muscles around his heart seemed to clench, but he could withstand that pain. He lifted his foot. The framework of his exoskeleton limited his movement, but the parts John had broken made movement possible. The pain was bearable.

He heard John uncork the wine. He relaxed, returning his body to the position he'd been in before John left the room. His heart pounded as John brought two glasses into the room. He stood in front of James and held the glass in front of him. "Since you can't exactly drink it yourself... you deserve a taste. Go on. I didn't slip anything into it."

James reluctantly put his lips on the glass, and John tilted it slightly so he could get a taste.

"Thirty-nine years you spent with Helen. Impressive. Longer than some marriages that end with death."

James furrowed his brow, using his tongue to capture the wine that was caught in his mustache. "How did you know when Helen and I ended?"

"I have eyes everywhere, dear boy, I told you that. The Sanctuary holds no secrets from me, as secure as Helen would like to believe she takes precautions. The simple truth is that an organization as large as hers is bound to have leaks. Once she began sprouting satellite Sanctuary houses all over the world, my job became easier. Do you know that the head of the Sanctuary in Nigeria hasn't heard from her in nearly seven years? It's a small wonder their loyalty has... mm, faded." He took a sip of his own wine and walked toward the table. He picked up the radio. "Tell me what to send. A message, a request for information. I must know if she is in danger."

"And if she is, what then? You'll use her Sanctuary, her life's work, to begin a war that could very well destroy everything she holds dear?"

John's voice was casual. "Tell me, or I will decide you have outlived your usefulness. I don't tolerate useless people."

They stared each other down for a few tense moments before James sighed heavily. "It's a variation of Morse code..."

#

Lisbeth shuddered as Helen tilted her cupped hand to pour the now-cold water from the bath over her breast. Her nipple responded to the cascade, and Helen brushed the backs of her fingers over it. Helen's other hand was underwater on Lisbeth's hip, and she was lightly kissing the soft curve of her neck through the thin curtain of dirty blonde hair. Lisbeth had her hands on Helen's thighs, which stretched out to either side of her. "I never would have thought two people would fit in this bath," Lisbeth said, her voice sleepy. "And I never would have guessed it would be so wonderful to try."

"I'm glad you approve. I get the feeling you don't have time for much frivolity in your life."

"Something I'm sure we have in common."

Lisbeth twisted in Helen's embrace. "Then perhaps it is good that we met one another." She stroked Helen's cheek and left behind a film of glistening bath water. They kissed, and Lisbeth sighed when they parted. "I could get used to that."

"It's been known to be addictive."

Lisbeth dipped her hands into the water and drew them up over her arms. She let her hands rest over her breasts. "Does it bother you? That I am so young?"

"Perhaps a few years ago, I might have taken pause. But you're over twenty, and we're both mature adults. And I have grown very, very fond of you in the short time we've known each other. I would have regretted it every day had I not taken this opportunity."

"Me too." Lisbeth kissed Helen's bottom lip. "I hope I was not a disappointment."

"In no way, shape or form, my dear."

"I was worried. I've only been with one person before, and we never even got fully undressed. I wish I had been better--"

Helen shushed her and gently guided Lisbeth's head to her shoulder. "You were a wonderful lover, Lisbeth. No complaints." She kissed Lisbeth's hair and then chuckled. "However, if you wish to perfect your ability, I am available for experimentation."

Lisbeth rolled over so that she was lying on top of Helen. The water washed over them, and Helen rested her hands on Lisbeth's rear end. Lisbeth closed her eyes as Helen kneaded the flesh, and she leaned forward to kiss Helen.

"Have you had many lovers?"

"I've had a very long life."

Lisbeth brushed her nose against Helen's. "That wasn't my question. I just want to know."

Helen nodded. "I've had many lovers over the years. Men and women both."

"Tell me about one. Any."

Helen slid one hand up Lisbeth's back, leaving a trail of goosebumps in her wake. Should she tell about the first man she'd ever truly loved, who became one of the most notorious murderers in history? Perhaps the story about the man who had stood by her side for a century, who she had finally taken to bed only to break his heart when she decided to end their physical relationship? Lisbeth didn't want a tragedy, and Helen didn't want to reopen those wounds, not now.

"Her name was Amelia. I'd had female lovers before, but she was... something special. A pilot. I had spent a lifetime being told what women couldn't do, and Amelia was brazenly spitting in the face of convention. She took me up in her plane and I fell in love. With aviation, and with her. We made love in the hangar." She laughed. "And once, she stripped down once we were in the air. We flew over the countryside, and she was naked as a jaybird. I reached over and used my fingers on her until she came. We very nearly crashed."

"You can't mean Amelia _Earhart_. She vanished fifty years ago."

"No... she went away fifty years ago. I knew precisely where she was."

Lisbeth whistled. "My God. You must be so much older than you look." She rested her head on Helen's chest. "Life seems so long sometimes, and I'm only twenty. How can you... how can you deal with it?"

"It's difficult sometimes. Often I watch other lives, normal lives, and they seem so hectic. Rushed and frantic to fit everything into the short time they have. I envy them, knowing that time is limited. Knowing that one day everything will end. I have nothing to look forward to but life, ever onward." She kissed Lisbeth's eyebrow and drew circles on her back. "You can't do it alone. You'd go mad. Friends help. And lovers."

"No wonder you've had so many."

"Mm." Helen looked at the open bathroom door. "But I think perhaps we've lingered long enough. You'll be late for work."

"I can be a little late." She kissed Helen's shoulder. She pushed herself up and sat on her knees, letting the water drip down her body. Helen sat up with her and they kissed before Lisbeth climbed from the bath. Helen found a towel before she joined her, wrapped it around Lisbeth, and thoroughly dried her off. They kissed once more, and Lisbeth tucked the towel under her arm as she went to get her clothes.

Helen dried herself off and put on a robe over her nudity, following Lisbeth into the living room. She dug in her bag until she found the radio receiver. James was most likely expecting an update, but what could she say? She still hoped to convince Katya and Minna they would be safer if they left. And she was still lacking an actual escape plan. She looked up as Lisbeth pulled a pair of tights up her legs, blushing at the sight; she most certainly would not tell James about _that_ development.

She returned the radio to the bag, took out her clothes, and dressed quickly. Lisbeth finished dressing and sat on the bed until Helen joined her. "I will see you after work. We will pick up Minna and Katya together and tell them about the soldiers." She took Helen's hand. "And about... us?"

"I'll leave that up to you. It's not my place. But if I'm simply going to leave in a few days, then perhaps it would be better if they don't find out."

"Right. But I won't regret it happened."

Helen smiled. "Good." They kissed, and Lisbeth finally pulled herself away.

"I must get to work. Will you be stranded if I take the car?"

"Not at all."

Lisbeth gathered her things, gave in to the urge to kiss Helen once more, and then hurried out the door before she was tempted to take it further. Once she was gone, Helen dropped back onto the bed and laced her fingers together on her stomach. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, trying to detect the scent of sex on the sheets. What she was doing wasn't fair to Lisbeth, but if Lisbeth knew their time together was limited, then it wasn't entirely wrong.

Even if she was using Lisbeth - which she was - then Lisbeth was using her in return. They were both in the same boat. A person didn't have to be a hundred and thirty years old to know the pain of loneliness. If being together, even temporarily, helped ease that pain in them both, then Helen was willing to use and be used in return.

#

James was startled by a knock on the door, but John seemed to be expecting a guest. He walked to the door and looked through the peephole before turning the lock. James tried to contain his anger as Tara Logue walked in. She wore a white shirt under a scoop-neck black sweater, her red hair pinned under a tweed flat cap. There was a messenger bag slung over her shoulder and a gun on her hip. She looked at James, eyes widening as she turned to John.

"You said no one would be hurt."

John shut the door behind her. "And he won't be. What have you discovered?"

Tara hesitated and then sighed. She walked into the room and opened her bag. She held out a sheaf of papers. "This is everything I could copy from the books in the library. Eva was starting to get suspicious, so I had to act casual before she started asking questions. Is that it? Is that everything?" She looked at James again, and he glared back at her.

John examined the copies without responding. He dropped them on the table and sighed. "Well, James, it looks as if I was correct. I'm sure you fondly recall our belated escape from Café Normandie on that fateful night forty years ago? It would seem the Germans have increased their production of the same mineral they used to ensure I couldn't slip away unseen. They created a chemical admixture to reinforce the concrete used to build the Berlin Wall. Little wonder my teleportation has left much to be desired. I suppose this means I won't be able to directly rescue Helen..."

"Not so fast." Tara seemed to have gotten over her moral qualms about James' treatment. "I've done some research and found a very heavily redacted report from a Nazi scientist detailing the mineral's odd properties. Fortunately, it was saved after Nuremburg. The mineral is less effective near running water."

John had reached the bottom of the copies. James could see that it was a map, but he couldn't make out any of the details.

Tara pointed at something on the map. "The Wall crosses the Spree River at several points, and there is a canal, the Luisenstadt, which crosses from East Berlin to West. It is narrow and shallow enough that Helen could cross it without a boat. Eva could ensure it is unguarded at a designated time."

"You do realize," James said, "what he plans to do once Helen is safely over the Wall? She'll be his prisoner. Do you really care so little about the woman who gave you so much?"

"They were engaged to be married once. He just wants to prove he's changed."

James laughed. "Woman, are you daft? Look around you! The man has all but crippled me to make his scheme work, and you are delivering Helen Magnus to a fate even worse than mine."

John's voice was still calm and soothing. "James, you're frightening the poor lass."

Tara moved closer to where James was sitting. "You just don't understand."

"I've lived with John Druitt since your great-grandparents were still in diapers. And I truly apologize but, if you won't listen to reason, then you leave me no other choice." James had pulled his left foot up toward the chair, coiled for an assault. When Tara was close enough, he pushed down on the foot and lurched awkwardly from the chair. He slammed into Tara, grabbing her holstered weapon with his tingling left hand. He pinned Tara to the floor when he fell, lifting his upper body to aim the gun at John.

The first shot went wide and embedded itself in the wall to John's right. The second would have hit him, but John attempted to teleport just before the moment of impact. The Wall's interference forced him to reappear immediately, but he was gone long enough to make all the difference. He moved to the right, too far for James to correct his aim, and stomped his foot down on James' wrist. James was forced to release the weapon and cried out in frustration and anger.

"Not the invalid you would seem." John bent down and grabbed the back brace of James' exoskeleton, lifting him off of Tara. He tossed James at the wall, where he landed in a pile of broken metal and twisted limbs. John extended a hand to Tara. "Are you all right, my dear?"

"Yeah, yeah... he startled me."

"Full of surprises, our James." He dusted off Tara's sweater and turned to face James. "Perhaps you would be better behaved if you were to show your true age."

"Damn you, Druitt... if your insane plan doesn't get Helen killed by the East German border guards--"

"It won't. This is the way Helen is getting out of Berlin, whether you like it or not."

Tara cleared her throat. "I should get back to the Sanctuary. Tell Eva about the plan."

John seemed to uncoil, turning away from James. "When you do, be sure--"

"Tell her it came from Dr. Watson. Of course." She went to the door before she suddenly turned around and looked at James again. "It's nothing personal, you understand? You an' Helen and the rest of you at the Sanctuary, you've always been good to me. But I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to get out, and I needed to be sure I was able to support myself when I left. Please, you haveta--"

"Save your apologies. You'll need them once Helen discovers your betrayal. But tell me this... the crush you so obviously harbored for Dr. Magnus. Was it all part of your plan?" John arched an eyebrow and turned to Tara, intrigued by her response.

She looked down at her feet and then looked away. "Can't control what you feel. It's not like it was ever gonna lead anywhere." She looked at John. "I'll let you know when Eva has the arrangements made, Mr. Druitt." She slammed the door behind her as she left the apartment.

John walked to the desk and picked up the radio. "Now you can tell me how to convey the finer details of our plan to Helen. Keep in mind that if you send her false information, it will only endanger her further--"

The radio came to life in his hand, shocking both men. James pushed himself up, grunting as his muscles strained under his weight. He sagged against the wall, unable to hide his shock as he translated the message in his head. John watched the radio until the signal stopped, then looked at James. It didn't take a relationship of one hundred years to read his expression. He grabbed a handful of James' undershirt and pulled him forward, their faces almost touching.

"What did she say?"

"It's not possible." John tightened his grip. James seemed to break out of his shock. "You have to fix my device." John scoffed and James growled. "Whatever I may think of you doesn't matter. At this moment, Helen is in grave danger and you are the only chance I have of helping her. Do you really think I would risk her life just to score a point against you in this insane battle of ours?"

John's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Glad to see you're finally listening to reason."

James allowed himself to be hauled off the floor and dumped back into the armchair. John and Nigel had both been given an extensive training in how to troubleshoot and repair the device if the need ever arose. James just hoped that the knowledge had remained after all this time; John was fonder of using his knowledge to manipulate the device for pain.

He didn't take time to question his decision. He would gladly make a deal with the actual devil if it meant he could come to Helen's rescue. He only prayed they wouldn't be too late.

#

Once she was alone in the apartment, Helen went to the pantry. She took a quick inventory of things that were running low, determined to help them out however she could. If she had to leave without them, the least she could do was help with their groceries. She made a list and went back into the living room. She searched the hats hanging on the wall for one that would effectively hide her face from casual observers.

None of them seemed to fit the bill, so she settled for one of Lisbeth's knitted caps, tucking her hair inside so that it hung heavily on her neck. She found a pair of Minna's thick-framed glasses on her nightstand and slipped them on, blinking at the now-foggy world. She pushed them down on her nose far enough to see over the lenses, slung her bag over her shoulder, and left the apartment.

She kept her head down as she walked, careful not to appear too standoffish. If someone passed her, she offered them a polite smile without slowing her pace. Shy and quiet seemed to be an acceptable personality behind the Wall, and no one seemed too concerned about her. The few times she saw soldiers, whether standing on a street corner or driving slowly down the street, she tried to change her direction as casually as possible.

The walk to the market seemed to take all day, but the aisles were still packed when she arrived. She took a basket, letting it hang off her forearm as she skimmed her list and looked up to see how the shop was laid out.

Her eye caught on a poster hanging near the front door. The sketch was sloppy, but it was unmistakably her. Written in block letters under her face was a block of German text in big, bold letters: "WANTED for the crime of MURDER!" Someone must have seen her leaving the railway station.

She glanced around to see if anyone had noticed her arrival and quickly returned the basket to the stack. She tugged the edge of her knitted cap down over her face, hunching her shoulders as she moved quickly from the store. She'd known her time would be limited, but it felt as if she'd only just arrived. Minna and Katya had only scratched the surface of their abilities. She didn't want to leave them ( _Lisbeth_ ) unprepared. She wouldn't force them to come with her when she left, but she could at least make one final plea before she started worrying about how, exactly, she was going to get back to safety.

Her mind was so focused on the girls ( _Lisbeth_ ) and their predicament that she had ceased paying attention to her surroundings. The men in front of her wore Soviet uniforms. Helen stopped suddenly, her shoes scuffing the pavement as she tried to change direction. One of the men glanced back at the sound. Helen turned and ran, but she heard him shouting after her to stop in both Russian and German.

She yanked off Minna's glasses, the disguise now useless and only hindering her ability to flee. The soldiers pursued, closing the distance between them much faster than Helen would have believed possible. She let her bag slide down her arm, catching it in her left hand. As she stepped up onto the curve she twisted at the waist and swung the bag like a shepherd's sling. The bag hit one of the soldiers in the head and knocked him to his knees. Helen kicked him as she turned to the other man, gripping his rifle with one hand and yanking it away from him. The man shouted in anger and Helen dropped her bag to punch him. He fell, and Helen shoved him so that he fell backwards. She scooped up her bag, tucked the soldier's rifle under her arm, and ran. When they tried to pursue, she turned and fired over their heads. When they took cover, Helen ducked around the corner and ran.

People were screaming now, ducking out of the way of the crazy fraulein with a weapon. She turned down a random alley and took the first turn she could. Once she was certain she was safe, she tucked the stolen rifle under her jacket and secured it to her side by cinching the belt. She folded her cap and put it into her pocket since the sketch had shown her with the kerchief anyway. Sirens were sounding all around her, so she mimicked the startled and curious expressions of others on the street as she found a small café and stepped inside.

The man behind the counter smiled amiably at her as she approached. "What would you like?"

"I just need directions, please. I need to know where I can find Kurt Muller's shop."

The man considered and then said, "Let me check the directory." Helen watched him withdraw a small book from under the counter. Confident he wasn't just stalling her until the police arrived, Helen moved to the far side of the counter and withdrew the radio from the bag. She typed out a quick message, dividing her attention between the clerk and the front window of the shop. A car full of soldiers sped past without slowing.

"Soviet soldiers in pursuit. Grave danger. Need escape plan ASAP."

She put the radio back into her bag just before the clerk motioned her over. He held out the book so she could see the map. "You're here, and Muller's store is here. It's called Speziell Errichtet Hut. Does this help?"

"Yes. Danke schon."

Helen left the café and scanned the street for soldiers. Confident she had gotten away from her initial pursuers, she thought back to the map and gained her bearings before she started running again. She only hoped James had come up with a suitable exit strategy, or she would be forced to take matters into her own hands.

#

Eva Marlene's office at the Berlin Sanctuary was cast in darkness dark even at noon, with heavy curtains blocking out the sunlight. A cluster of lamps on and around her oak desk created an almost ethereal glow, making appear to be the room's only source of light. She wore a white toga trimmed with gold that added to her angelic presence, her skin smooth and olive in the weak light. She briefly raised her eyes from her notebook when the door opened, making one final notation before she closed the cover.

James Watson was moving stiffly, his pallor obvious even in the dim office. Tara was standing beside him, one hand extended as if anticipating a fall.

Eva stood to greet her guests, resting her hands on the edge of her desk. "Dr. Watson. What on earth happened to you?"

"There have been some unfortunate developments the past twenty-four hours, Ms. Marlene. Developments which have been purposefully kept from you." He looked pointedly at Tara.

Eva inclined her head in confusion. "Tara? What is he talking about?"

"I did what was best for me and for Dr. Magnus."

The doorway darkened again and John Druitt stepped into the room. Eva didn't hesitate; she dropped into a crouch and withdrew the flintlock pistol from beneath the desk. She took aim at John as he stepped between Tara and James.

"Dr. Magnus gave me clear instructions on what to do should you ever show up here, Mr. Druitt. She told me to only give you one warning before I blew you to kingdom come."

James cleared his throat. "As much as it pains me to say this, Ms. Marlene, we may have use for him in the next few hours. If he proves less than helpful, you and I can take turns emptying our weapons in his general vicinity and one of us is bound to get lucky."

Eva kept her eyes on John. "What happened?"

"Helen sent a message about half an hour ago. Things have gone a bit pear-shaped, and she needs an immediate exit. John and Ms. Logue have conspired to find one that will work, but we will need reinforcements."

"I won't use the resources of this Sanctuary to start a war, Dr. Watson. Especially not one with him on the front lines. Helen would rather die first."

James nodded. "I'm not suggesting a full attack force. All we require are a few of your special operatives to provide cover fire while John and I get Helen and the girls to safety."

"And the moment it's over, we shall have a very detailed discussion about your part in his presence, Ms. Logue. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in you right now."

Tara had the good sense to look chagrined as Eva came around the edge of the desk. She crossed her arms and faced the men. "What do we have to do?"

James straightened his posture slightly, and Eva noticed he wasn't wearing his full exoskeleton. "First we must reply to Helen's message with instructions on what we must do. Then we can only hope to coordinate our efforts to get her out safely."

"Very well. Tara, report to the habitat area."

Tara frowned. "What? I'm--"

"Cleaning, at the moment. Whether or not that will be your final assignment as a member of this Sanctuary remains to be seen. Leave. Now."

Tara stormed out of the room and Eva was left alone with Helen's colleagues, past and present. Eva eyed them all and then nodded. "Now. Time is of the essence, gentlemen. Let's get started."


	6. Chapter 6

Helen had just found Kurt Muller's shop when the radio began buzzing in her pocket. She withdrew it and listened, closing her eyes to translate the message. A canal? The idea had promise. It was better than anything she had been able to come up with as she fled through the streets. She had avoided both soldiers and other civilians this time, not wanting to take the risk of someone being a good citizen.

The air inside the hat shop was blissfully warm. Moments after Helen entered, Lisbeth appeared through a swinging door that led to the back. She furrowed her brow when she saw Helen. "How on Earth did you already hear?"

Helen took the gun from beneath her coat and Lisbeth's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

Lisbeth switched gears. "Something has gone wrong, hasn't it?"

"I was spotted by a soldier. There's a sketch of me hanging in the marketplace and probably dozens of other places. If I don't leave soon, then I may not get another chance." She was surprised by how much she hurt at the idea of never seeing Lisbeth again. "I came to make a final plea--"

"You may not have to. Come with me." She put her hand on Helen's elbow and guided her to the back of the store. Helen was shocked to see Minna and Katya in the manager's office. They were sitting in the chairs in front of the manager's desk, which was currently empty, and Katya was sobbing against Minna's shoulder.

"What happened?"

Lisbeth sighed. "Apparently your demonstration this morning was extremely convincing to my sisters. They skipped classes today to discuss their options, and then went to find Gerald, Kurt Muller's son. Katya has a crush on him--"

"I remember from last night." Helen leaned against the desk, her own troubles momentarily forgotten. "I assume the meeting didn't go well."

Minna stroked her sister's hair. "She said that if we were leaving, she wanted to tell him how she felt. Even if they couldn't be together, she wanted him to know. He laughed at her."

" _Schwein_ ," Lisbeth muttered.

Katya sat up and wiped her face. She looked at Helen as if finally noticing her arrival, sniffled, and said, "Can we still go with you?"

"If that's what you want. But you shouldn't make decisions--"

"No. Lisbeth wants to go, and Minna only chose to stay because of me. And now I have one less reason to stay. I want to go."

Helen cleared her throat. "I'm afraid things have changed. If you want to leave with me, you'll have to go. Right this minute."

Lisbeth tried to hide her alarm for her sisters' sake. "Will we have time to return home and pack things?"

Helen's compassion won out. "Yes, of course. Only the most important items, and only as much as you can carry. Lisbeth, pack an extra bag and I will carry it. But we must work quickly, understand?" All three girls nodded. "Good. Lees, I'll need to buy a hat. Something that will cover my face from any soldiers."

"Yes, of course." They went into the main room and Helen chose a hood that came down over her forehead. There was a wide selection of scarves and Helen took one to wrap around the lower part of her face. Once she was sufficiently hidden, Lisbeth shut off the lights and put a sign in the door indicating they were closed early. Minna and Katya followed them out to the car, and Helen climbed into the backseat with Minna.

"Drive carefully. We don't want to give anyone a reason to look too closely."

Lisbeth laughed. "I'm driving with a fugitive wrapped up like the mummy and two truant teenagers. They won't stop us, we'll be shot on sight."

"Always the optimist, Lees!" Katya said, laughing despite the tears still shining in her eyes. Lisbeth reached over and stroked her sister's hair before she pulled away from the curb. Helen remained low in her seat, watching through the window. Soldiers were out in force now, searching cafés and shops.

Minna was also staring at the soldiers, her eyes wide. "My goodness, Helen! What did you do?"

Katya twisted in her seat and looked at Helen. "You did it to help us. We needed your help, so you came over the Wall." She bit her bottom lip and looked down at her hands. "You did it for us."

"I just answered a call. Your sister risked much more than I did getting that letter out. She wants you both to be safe."

Katya dropped back into her seat. After a moment she spoke in a voice so soft that it was almost lost under the rattling of the car's engine. "I'm sorry, Lisbeth. I was being stubborn."

"It's all right, Kat." She reached over and playfully tugged on Katya's ponytail, then rubbed her shoulder before putting her hand back on the wheel. "After we pack, where will we be going?"

"A place called the Luisenstadt canal. I have friends, they will be waiting there. I'm afraid we'll have to wade a bit."

Lisbeth laughed. "No problem. In summer, my girls here become half-fish."

Helen smiled under her scarf. "I hope you're speaking figuratively. In my line of work, that's an actual possibility."

They parked, and Lisbeth clapped her hands at the girls. "Schnell, schnell. We must hurry. Helen's friends are waiting for us." Helen put her hand on Lisbeth's elbow, holding her back in the apartment building's lobby. When the girls' pounding footsteps faded above them, Helen cupped Lisbeth's face and kissed her. Lisbeth moaned in surprise and then sagged against Helen's body, wrapping her in a tight embrace. When they parted, Helen kissed her cheeks and sighed. "In case you were wondering how I felt about this change in plan... about you coming with me. It makes me very... happy." She kissed Lisbeth again.

"It makes me happy, too. Come, we must pack." She took Helen's hand to guide her up the stairs. Minna and Katya had left the door open and were already in their room, debating on what they simply couldn't be without, what could be replaced, and if they had any extra room in their packs. Lisbeth clapped her hands again. "Only what you can carry, Wilhelmina! Katherine, leave the books. We can buy more when we--"

Helen turned at Lisbeth's sudden silence. She was standing by the foot of the fold-out, staring down at the twisted sheets.

"Lees?"

"We can buy more when we're free."

Helen crossed the room and embraced her. "Yes, you can. But hurry now. Any reminders of your parents, anything precious."

"Of course, of course. The photo albums." She reached into a cabinet under the table and flipped open the book, her hands shaking as she pulled out the pages of photos. She folded them, careful not to bend any of the pictures, and put them in a plastic bag. Helen was impressed; most people would take the albums binder and all, adding unnecessary weight while cutting down on space. She squeezed Lisbeth's shoulder before she went into the bedroom to help the girls pack.

#

Eva changed into a black turtleneck, a flak jacket, and a pair of dark cargo pants that were a few sizes too large for her. James found her in the armory, using a small mirror on the inside of a locker to braid her hair before the assault. He stared for a moment, struck by the sight of a woman who looked like a Renaissance sculpture dressed like a common mercenary. She saw his reflection in the mirror and turned. "Hello, James."

"I suppose I owe you an explanation."

She smiled and shook her head as she went back to braiding. "Helen once told me her true weakness: you, John, Nigel and Nikola. She would follow the four of you into Hell, cursing her judgment even as the flames lapped at her shoes. I imagine you're no different. One hundred years of history, the rest of your lives falling away as the decades march on. Your loyalty to one another is hardly surprising."

"Very astute of you. I assume you've picked up on Helen's recent angst on that subject."

Eva sighed and nodded. "It would be difficult to miss. Tara..." Her voice caught on the girl's name. "Tara told me our more sensitive telepathic guests were suffering from enormous grief and sorrow. I comforted them as best I could, but when the source is external there is only so much I can do." She shut the locker and turned to face him. "Are you well? I noticed your device--"

He looked down at his shirt, the top button undone to reveal a series of wires leading up to a lightweight yoke around his neck. He smoothed the material self-consciously. "A stopgap until I can repair the full device. I may completely overhaul it this time to prevent another situation like the one I just endured with John." He cleared his throat. "When this is all said and done, and Helen demands an explanation, I fully expect you to lay on the blame on me. I should have picked up on Tara's duplicity, and I should never have allowed John to gain the upper hand."

Eva took a quiver of arrows off the wall and slung it across her chest. "We'll deal with recriminations once the dust settles. For now, we will focus on saving our benefactress." She took her bow off the wall and gestured at the door. "Shall we?"

"After you."

They left the armory to find John and Tara standing at the intersection of the hallway. They were both dressed similarly to Eva, the only difference being Tara's beret. "I'm coming with you," she said, cutting off any complaint from James. "I didn't do what I did because I hate the Sanctuary, or out of any ill-will toward Dr. Magnus. I'll fight to save her."

Eva nodded once. "Good." She looked at James. "Will you boys be able to play nicely?"

John gave an exaggerated shrug. "You won't get any trouble from me."

"We've done it before. Working together doesn't require civility."

Eva sighed. "Fine. I have back-up forces meeting us there. If you become angry, try and focus it on the bad guys, hm?" She pushed between Tara and James, shuddering at the contact. Rarely had she ever gone on a mission with people she found more contemptible, but for Helen, she would make the sacrifice.

#

The Luisenstadt canal was a low, rubble-strewn stretch of concrete that was slightly lower than the surrounding area. The Berlin Wall ran down the center of the canal, with locks that allowed water to pass through from one side to the other so it wouldn't create a dam. Helen and the Winston sisters parked the Trabi a few blocks away and used side streets and alleys to cross the final distance. Helen took point with the rifle she'd stolen from the guard, making sure the coast was clear of both soldiers and civilians before she waved the girls on. Now they knelt beside a concrete pillar, Helen in front and Lisbeth at the rear to protect the younger girls.

"How does it look?"

Helen gauged the distance and nodded. "We'll be able to make it through." She pointed, and Lisbeth craned her neck to see a break in the Wall. "We can cross over there. The water shouldn't be deeper than our thighs or waist. Once we're in the water, do not stop moving. Keep in motion until we're on dry land. Understood?" Minna and Katya both nodded, and Helen could tell they were excited. The moment was probably unreal to them, like something from television or a movie. Hopefully they would keep them from being too frightened.

"When do we go?"

She planned to wait until she received a signal from James, but the sound of an engine changed her mind. "Now. We have to go now. Once we're through that break, we can use the Wall for cover if we have to."

As Helen stood, Lisbeth looked back and saw a Jeep turn the corner. A soldier was hanging off the side, gripping the long, thin mirror with one hand while he aimed his weapon with the other. "Go, Kat. Minna, go!"

Helen shepherded the girls forward and then grabbed Lisbeth's arm. "Go. I'll bring up the rear."

"That is not fair. You get to safety and then--"

"I said go, Lisbeth." She brought up her stolen gun and fired it in a sweeping arc across the front windshield. The Jeep slammed to a stop and the soldier holding onto the mirror stumbled and fell from the runner. He brought his gun up and opened fire. Helen backed up, not bothering to look back as she heard the girls enter the water, splashing noisily as they ran. She looked back as Lisbeth entered the water and she began to run after her.

The soldiers rushed forward as Helen jumped to the canal. The water splashed over her head, soaking her entirely as she chased Lisbeth toward salvation. Minna and Katya were already on the other side, and Helen could hear Lisbeth sobbing at the sight. Helen put her hand on the pack weighing Lisbeth down, helping her continue even as her feet threatened to slip out from under her. Minna stepped into the breach and held out her hand. "Lees, Lees, hurry!"

A bullet buzzed past Helen's ear and hit Minna in the chest.

The girl's eyes widened as she fell backward, and Lisbeth's screams echoed over the water like a clarion call. Katya dropped and disappeared under the water, and Helen wondered if she had been shot as well. Lisbeth was rooted to the spot, bent so far forward that her face was almost in the water. "Minna, my Minna, no, no!"

On the opposite shore, Helen saw Eva Marlene taking point. She nocked an arrow, brought it up, and let it fly over their heads. Helen heard the pained sound from the soldier she had taken aim at and shoved Lisbeth forward. It was like trying to haul a wet sack. They were nearly to the breach in the wall when Minna's head breached the surface again.

Minna was holding her hands out in front of her like she was trying to push away an invisible wall. She was breathing heavily, water dripping down her face as her hands burned like twin stars. The energy was blue-yellow, twisting and curling over her arms like smoke. Helen could see that her eyes were brilliant and sapphire blue, an inhuman color that showed how she was channeling her energy.

"Helen," she said, her voice strangely deep, "I think I am doing it."

Helen pushed Lisbeth down as the first beam of energy erupted from Minna's hands. It hit the ground with a shuddering roar, the asphalt blowing up in tiny shards of shrapnel. The soldiers were tossed like tin men and landed with sickening thuds. Minna fired again as Helen struggled to get Lisbeth up. When her head breached the surface, Helen's fears were realized; the girl had fainted. She had to put down her rifle, leaving her unarmed as she tried to float Lisbeth to freedom.

"Helen!"

She thought she was hearing things, certain the voice had come from her own memory. She looked toward East Germany and the blood froze in her veins as she saw him wading forward. The water was up to his thighs when he put a hand on Katya's shoulder. She turned to him in fear, and then they both vanished in a curl of purple-and-pink smoke. They reappeared a few seconds later on the shore, and John Druitt waded back in.

More soldiers had arrived, but Minna was no longer firing. Helen could see that the energy from getting shot was fading fast. Minna was sagging, her arms quaking from being held out so long. John put his hands on her shoulders and she simply sagged into his embrace. She was unconscious before he teleported away. Helen kept her arms around Lisbeth and looked over her shoulder. The soldiers took aim at Helen and Lisbeth.

"Come back now and we will let you live!" one of the soldiers shouted.

Lisbeth woke with a choked gasp. "Wilhelmina, no..."

She heard John teleport again and braced herself for his touch. A moment later, the guns opened fire and she tensed, throwing her body over Lisbeth's to block the bullets. When the inevitable didn't happen, she looked back and shouted at what she saw. John was standing on the East German shore, knives flashing as he took out the men to either side of him. One of the soldiers turned their gun on him, but he teleported and the man's bullet hit one of his fellow soldiers.

Eva and James were both shouting to her from the opposite shore, and Helen slapped Lisbeth hard on the cheek. "I need you to walk, and I need you to do it now. Minna is alive, she's safe, and she will need you, damn it."

"Minna?" She looked toward the other shore. Helen could see Tara and Dr. Bright kneeling beside Minna's prone form. Her hands were trembling, and she was moving her feet. Lisbeth put her arm around Helen's waist and pushed herself up. Together, they walked through the break. Helen looked back and saw John had fallen to his knees. He was facing the Wall, and he smiled as he lifted his hand to her.

One of the soldiers shot him in the chest and he fell. Another soldier had retrieved the knife John stole, and Helen's heart clenched as he sunk the blade into John's back. John's only response was to pull his lips back against his teeth as the rest of the gray uniforms piled onto him. Helen helped Lisbeth onto dry land before she accepted Eva's hand. The water cascaded from her, the majority of it clinging to the heavy fabric of her jacket. Eva loaded another arrow and took aim, just in case any of the soldiers decided to pursue.

"Minna?" Helen said.

James moved to her side. "She'll be fine. She's weak, but she'll be fine."

Helen nodded once, looked at the Winston sisters safe on the shore of East Germany, and collapsed as the adrenaline finally ran out. She was barely conscious enough to notice James catching her before she hit the ground, grateful he didn't let her get hurt.

#

She woke in her own bed at the Berlin Sanctuary, with a guest. Lisbeth was lying on top of the blankets, her head on Helen's stomach, fast asleep. Helen smiled and lightly touched Lisbeth's hair before taking stock of herself. Someone had exchanged her sodden outfit for a cotton nightgown. There was a bandage on her hand for an injury she didn't remember getting, and every bone in her lower body ached. She felt as if she'd been partially run over by a steamroller and wiggled her toes to make sure they still responded.

Lisbeth tensed, lifted her head, and looked at her. She smiled and immediately slid up for a kiss. Helen welcomed the kiss, using her bottom lip to open Lisbeth's mouth. They held each other for a long moment before Lisbeth sat up and kissed Helen's nose. "You were sleeping for so long."

"That happens now and then. I give my body an inch and it takes a mile. Minna and Katya?"

"They are fantastic. Minna was treated for her gunshot wound, but she will make a full recovery. Katya is now jealous that she didn't get to use her power to help us escape."

Helen laughed. "I hope she never has an opportunity to make up for that. May life or death escapes only be a once in a lifetime thing for you."

Lisbeth traced her finger down Helen's jaw. "But it's not for you. Is it?"

"No. The cross I bear." She kissed the inside of Lisbeth's wrist and moved slowly up her arm.

"Ahem." Lisbeth looked toward the door. "I was supposed to take you to see Dr. Bright immediately after you woke up."

Helen moved her head and kissed Lisbeth's chest through her shirt. "What does immediately mean to you?"

Lisbeth moaned helplessly. "Ten... or fifteen minutes, maybe."

Helen sighed. "I'll see what I can do. Get under the covers."

Lisbeth happily obliged.

#

Helen's eventual physical showed that she was in perfect health, generally speaking. She was slightly anemic, suffering from stress, and otherwise burning the candle at both ends, but that was hardly news. Dr. Bright gave her a clean bill of health, with an asterisk as always, and Helen went to find James. She found him in the arboretum on the western side of the Sanctuary. The top was open by accident, not design, but it allowed birds to dart in and out of the trees at their leisure. The birdsong was light and cheerful as Helen wandered the cobblestone trail until she found James. He was fully dressed, but his shirt was unbuttoned to reveal the device on his chest. Helen sat beside him on the bench and folded her hands in her lap. After a moment, James sighed.

"He was waiting in the apartment when I got back from the train station..."

He carefully explained everything that had happened; the Wall's properties being diminished by running water, Tara's betrayal, and John's manipulation of his device to cause paralysis. When he was finished, they sat in silence until Helen reached over and took his hand. She quietly explained everything that had happened on her side of the Wall. She sensed his irritation when she mentioned falling in love with Lisbeth, but he didn't comment on it.

"I'm glad you found someone. I know your loneliness has been weighing on you lately."

She closed her eyes. "Yes. Seeing Lisbeth with her sisters made me wonder what we missed out on. We've seen and done so many great things, but we've missed out on so much as well." When she opened her eyes, James was staring at her. "What?"

"I know what you're thinking about. A family?" Helen shrugged, imagining the amazingly small cryogenic case that traveled with her whenever she moved. It was Helen's constant companion. Or rather _she_ was Helen's constant companion. "Do you think that's wise? You don't truly believe we've seen the last of John Druitt."

She pictured his body tensing as the soldier stabbed him, the bullet wounds oozing blood down his chest. Even if he somehow managed to teleport away, sometimes there was just no coming back. She nodded. "Yes, I truly believe he's gone. God knows we've waited long enough. My life will never be stable, but without John to worry about... or Nikola, for that matter, perhaps the time has come. But I'll give it some time before I do anything drastic."

He patted her hand. "Well, if there is one thing we have in abundance, Helen... it's time."

She leaned in and kissed him chastely, a remembrance of what they had once shared. When the kiss ended, Helen kept her hand in his, and they listened to the birds singing overhead.

#

Helen remained at the Berlin Sanctuary for another month, helping train Katya and Minna control their powers. She alternated training sessions with Eva, who ensured that Minna didn't overexert herself during her recuperation. Lisbeth also benefited from the training, becoming more confident in her own abilities as she helped her sisters understand theirs. Tara was permanently released from her duties at the Sanctuary, saved from a stricter sentence only because Helen couldn't think of anything worthy of the pain she'd caused James. Eva was livid, and swore that if Tara Logue ever showed her face in Germany again, she would be imprisoned on whatever charges she could think of.

When the girls were in school, Helen worked with James on a revised version of his exoskeleton. It had been decades since he upgraded it, and with the leaps in technology, the work was overdue. In the new design, the majority of the mechanics would be housed in a separate case. He would only need to be hooked up to it a few times per day and the rest of the time he would be mostly free to move as normal.

Katya and Minna soon learned of their sister's romance with Helen. Minna took it better than Katya, but neither of them made too big of a fuss. Lisbeth moved into Helen's bedroom and undertook training of her own.

A month after escaping East Berlin, Helen found Lisbeth sitting on the floor outside of the classroom where her sisters were being trained. She smoothed her skirt over her thighs and crouched next to Lisbeth. "Is something wrong?"

"You cannot stay here. Not forever. You'll leave soon, won't you?"

Helen thought of the Old City Sanctuary, her responsibilities there. "I could be tempted to stay for an extended vacation." She could tell Lisbeth didn't want jokes, so she continued, "Yes. I will probably have to leave soon. But just because I'm going doesn't mean you can't come with me."

"Ah, this argument again." Lisbeth smiled. "My sisters don't speak English well. They want to stay here for their remaining school terms. I can't leave them now any more than I could last month. So our time together is short."

Helen felt tears filling her eyes. _Not another one. I can't take losing someone else._ "Short doesn't mean over." She brought Lisbeth's hand to her lips and kissed the knuckles. "Skip training today. Eva can take over with your sisters. I want you to be with me until... until we have to say goodbye."

Lisbeth nodded. Helen stood and pulled Lisbeth to her feet, walking together down the corridor to the room they shared.

 _Christmas, 1989_  
Helen wore a heavy pea coat, her hands buried in the pockets as she looked down the street. Such an amazing thing, to see both ends of a road. A child was walking down the sidewalk, away from her, and Helen smiled as a gust of wind caught the girl's hair and lifted it like a wave. A voice at the back of her mind screamed danger, warned her to call the girl back and clutch her to her chest. But no, not now. This was a safe place now. Or at least as safe as any of the other places they had been together.

"Almost impossible to believe."

Helen turned and smiled. "Lisbeth."

The girl had grown into a woman in the nine years since they parted. She wore a turtleneck and a beige dress, her steps careful on the uneven ground of the hill. She held out her hand and Helen took it, greeting her former lover with a kiss. "You look amazing, Helen."

"My God, Lisbeth, look at you."

Lisbeth blushed and shook her head. "I am dreading my grey hairs. I have missed you very much, Helen. You look different somehow. You told me you didn't age, but I think... there is something different." She looked down the road, where the little girl was now cupping her hands over her face to look through the glass of a shop. Lisbeth smiled. "Ah. I see. The loneliness has been conquered."

"Have you ever...?"

"No. I've done my time as a parent. Perhaps in a few years I will long for the responsibility, but for now I am enjoying my life. And my partner."

"Will I get to meet her?"

"Yes. She is preparing dinner as we speak. She is anxious to meet the woman who saved my life and brought me to West Berlin so we could meet. Who braved the communists to rescue someone she had never met. You are a superhero in her eyes."

"It was my honor, Lisbeth. How are Minna and Katya?"

Lisbeth smirked. "Wilhelmina is in London at university. Katya is, at last postcard, in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The girl who was afraid of the world outside the Wall has now seen the four corners. She will be livid when she discovers she missed your visit."

"Well, perhaps I can stay long enough for her to drop in."

Lisbeth widened her eyes. "Stay? For that long?"

Helen shrugged. "Things have changed in the last few years. I have more important things to worry about than traipsing around the globe on some adventure. I have enough adventure waiting in the bedroom down the hall."

"Mommy!"

They both turned to see the girl waving to them. Helen held up a hand to indicate she would be there in a moment and she and Lisbeth began walking slowly down the street.

"As I said."

Lisbeth laughed. "What's her name?"

"Ashley. Ashley Magnus."

Lisbeth chuckled. "A lovely name. And I'm sure she's an utter terror."

"Oh, just ghastly. Never a moment's rest, this one."

Helen ran the last few yards and dropped into a crouch as she scooped Ashley into her arms for a hug. She kissed the girl's face and forehead, prompting a squeal and a weak attempt to escape. She looked up at Lisbeth and grinned. "But the rewards are far too great for me to care. Ashley, this is Lisbeth Winston. She's a very dear friend of mine from a long time ago."

Ashley buried her face in the collar of Helen's coat, and Helen laughed. "She's discovered how to be shy, it seems." She stood up and took Ashley's hand. "Ms. Winston's partner is going to make dinner for us, Ashley. Isn't that nice of her?" A timid nod. "Then let's go."

Helen and Lisbeth walked back the way they had come, with Ashley between them. They hadn't gotten very far before Ashley overcame her shyness and began talking a mile a minute about what she had seen during the five minutes she was separated from her mother. The women were so focused on her that neither of them noticed when they crossed the line that had once separated East and West Berlin, the rubble from the Wall long since cleared away.


End file.
